Alloteropsis papillosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; pubescent. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–70 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–25 cm long; 2–8(–10) mm wide. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–10; digitate; unilateral; 3–12(–20) cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing irregular. Raceme-bases brief, or filiform.

Spikelets in pairs, or clustered at each node. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2–4 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; fenestrate (at base); 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2–4.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–4 mm long overall. Palea chartaceous. Palea surface papillose; glabrous.

FRUIT Disseminule comprising a spikelet.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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