GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Agrostis keniensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 70–120 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–5 mm long; lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades flat; 10–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; loose, or effuse; 15–25 cm long; 5–7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–6 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 1.1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.7–3.7 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma hairs 1 mm long. Lemma apex truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.3–0.4 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 3.5–5 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension 0–0.2 length of fertile floret; pubescent.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Aveneae. FTEA.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.