GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Anthoxanthum ecklonii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely, or moderately. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 35–80 cm long; swollen at the base; forming an ovoid corm. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 7–25 cm long; 4–9 mm wide; aromatic.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; 4–13 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume ovate; 4.5–5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 6–8 mm long; 1.7–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; male; with palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 5 mm long; 1.3 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined; pubescent; lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret dorsal; 2 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret oblong; 1 length of lower sterile floret; chartaceous; pubescent; lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret dorsal; geniculate; 6–7 mm long. Fertile lemma orbicular; 3.5–4 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Palea oblong; 1 length of lemma; 1 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2. Stigmas 2; protogynous; pubescent.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Aveneae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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