Andropogon pinguipes

HABIT Annual. Culms 30–150 cm long. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or erect; 0–3 mm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base tapering to the midrib. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; linear; 15–30 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole lanceolate; 6–8 cm long; scarious.

Racemes 2; paired; 3–4.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes oblong. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform; with simple rim.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels inflated; 4 mm long; ciliate; tip lobed (bilobed).

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; elliptic; dorsally compressed; 6–6.5 mm long; as long as fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous, or pubescent; acute; awned; one glume awned; with 1–4 mm long awn. 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; 5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct; 7–8 in number. Lower glume surface flat and with a longitudinal median groove. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–22 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FTA.

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