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Descriptions

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

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

Anthoxanthum tongo

HABIT Perennial; mat forming, or caespitose. Culms decumbent, or rambling; weak; 10–40 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; 2–10(–17) cm long; 1–2 mm wide; aromatic.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes; comprising 3–30 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; linear, or oblong; 1–3.5 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Racemes single; lanceolate; paucilateral; 1–2 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; 5–7 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 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume oblong; 5–7 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren (or lower male); with palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 4–5 mm long; 2 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined; pubescent; lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret dorsal; 2–4 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; 10–13 mm long. Fertile lemma orbicular; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex obtuse. 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: south.

NOTES Aveneae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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