Andropogon ivorensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms 150–200 cm long; 2–4 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 40–70 cm long; 6–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal.

Racemes 2; paired; unilateral (as to sterile spikelets); 9–11 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes columnar; 6 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim.

Spikelets squeezed between internode and pedicel; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels clavate; 5 mm long; ciliate; tip widened.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 12 mm long; longer than fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; 19 -veined; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus square; 1 mm long; pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled above; keeled dorsally; keeled obtusely. Lower glume lateral veins several in each keel (5–6). Lower glume surface deeply depressed. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above. Upper glume muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 7 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 40 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 1 mm long; fleshy; truncate. Anthers 3; 3.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FWTA.

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