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Descriptions

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

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

Ampelodesmos mauritanicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms 100–200 cm long. Culm-internodes solid. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 8–20 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 30–100 cm long; 4–7 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 25–50 cm long. Primary panicle branches 5–10 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; villous; hairy above; with 2 mm long hairs. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 0.2 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–9 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; 0.8–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 9–15 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 1–2 mm long overall. Palea linear; 0.75 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; membranous; ciliate; acute. Anthers 3; 5 mm long. Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; sulcate on hilar side; 5–6 mm long; hairy at apex. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: western Asia. North America: southwest USA.

NOTES Ampelodesmeae. WDC.

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