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Descriptions

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

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

Catapodium demnatense

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 6–25 cm long; 1–2 -noded; with 0.33 of their length below uppermost node. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; striately veined; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades convolute; 3–6 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 5–7 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis angular; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets obovate, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes scaberulous.

GLUMES Glumes oblique; persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 3–4 mm long; 0.9–1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume margins inrolled. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; rounded except near apex; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex emarginate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.75 mm long. Anthers 3; 2.2–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Afr N 1997.

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