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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.
Alloeochaete oreogena
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short (up to 12 mm diam). Butt sheaths papery; woolly; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 100–200 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–0.9 mm long. Leaf-blades 60–130 cm long; 10–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex hooded.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; lanceolate, or oblong; dense; 23–42 cm long. Panicle branches pubescent in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; (3–)6–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20–26 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 1.6–2 mm long; bearded; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.3 length of lemma.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 7–10 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; (3–)5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose; hairy above. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 9–14 mm long; 0.9–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy above. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; elliptic; (11–)13–15 mm long; membranous; 5 -veined; pilose; hairy above; dentate; 2 -fid; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret straight; 1 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; 10 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy above; with marginal hair tufts; bearing 2 hair tufts in all. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 13–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2–4 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; glabrous. Anthers 3; 5–6 mm long.
FRUIT Disseminule comprising a floret.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.
NOTES Arundineae. WDC.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
