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Descriptions

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

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

Apochiton burttii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 20–90 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–30 cm long; 1.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 3–20 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform, or linear; 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.2–2.5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6.5 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.2–2.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4–5.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3 mm long overall. Palea 0.5–0.7 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliate; adorned below; with 0.5–0.7 of their length adorned. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate; awned; awns 2–3.5 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; entire; emarginate. Anthers 3; linear. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; isodiametric; trigonous. Embryo 0.3–0.4 length of caryopsis. Endosperm farinose. Disseminule comprising a floret.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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