Anadelphia pumila

HABIT Annual. Culms 15–60 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–8 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty; 4–20 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; exserted. Spatheole linear; 2–3 cm long; scarious.

Racemes 1; single; 1.5–2.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 4–6 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; glabrous on margins. Spikelet packing lax. Rhachis internodes filiform; 2 mm long. Rhachis internode tip oblique.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 1–2 mm long; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus linear; 1–1.5 mm long; truncate, or obtuse. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; 3 -veined; glabrous; acuminate; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; subterete; 3.5–4.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 1–1.5 mm long; pubescent; base truncate; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 6–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough above. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume oblong; without keels. Upper glume apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 5–7 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; 1 -veined; without lateral veins; eciliate on margins. Fertile lemma linear; 3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.7–0.8 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 5 mm long; glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FWTA.

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