Andropogon curvifolius

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 70–100 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; involute; 30–60 cm long; 0.3–0.7 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty; 30 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear; 4–7 cm long.

Racemes 2; paired; flexuous; 3–4 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 1–3 mm long. Spikelet packing lax. Rhachis internodes filiform; 4–5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform; with lobed rim.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4–6 mm long; as long as fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 7 -veined; acute; awned; one glume awned; with 1–4.5 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 4.5–6.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus square; 0.5 mm long; pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins several in each keel (2–3); intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume surface concave. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 5 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 16–22 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 6–8 mm long; glabrous. Palea 0.1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; oblong; 0.5 mm long; ciliate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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