Andropogon leprodes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 25–50 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat; 2–7 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; glaucous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal.

Racemes 2–4; paired, or digitate; 4–6 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs white. Rhachis internodes filiform, or linear. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim.

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

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4–7 mm long; shorter than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; acute, or acuminate; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic; dorsally compressed; 6.5–9 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus square; 1 mm long; pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled laterally. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed; intercarinal veins distinct; intercarinal veins 5–7 in number. Lower glume surface convex and with a longitudinal median groove; scabrous. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–1.5 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 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 glabrous. Palea hyaline; 0 -veined.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Cope 1997.

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