Andropogon ivohibensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 30–70 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long; membranous; truncate. Leaf-blades curled; flat, or conduplicate; 2–25 cm long; 2.2–3.2 mm wide; stiff; red. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal.

Racemes (2–)3(–4); paired, or digitate; 2.5–6.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 2–3 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 2.5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform; with simple rim.

Spikelets ascending; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; 2.5 mm long; ciliate; with 2–3 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 4.5–6 mm long; as long as fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes; dentate; 1-awned; with 3–4 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–5.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus brief; 0.5 mm long; pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled dorsally. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume surface concave; glabrous. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 5 mm long; hyaline; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25–0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Vorontsova 2013.

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