Anthephora argentea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–90 cm long. Leaf-sheaths wider than blade at the collar. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–8 mm long. Leaf-blades tapering towards sheath; conduplicate; 10–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade margins unthickened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 7–13 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis angular; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 3–4 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 3–4 in the cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets; oblong; 6–8 mm long; base bluntly stipitate; base villous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by single glumes; elliptic; 5–7 mm long; longer than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes free; coriaceous; 3–4 -veined; villous; acute; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume subulate; 0.75–0.8 length of spikelet. Upper glume margins ciliolate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; villous; hairy above; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous; 1-keeled.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Paniceae. FZ.

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