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Descriptions

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

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

Cenchrus distichophyllus

HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Culms erect; 15–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Leaves distichous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 2.6–3 cm long; 1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; oblong; 2.5–4 cm long; 0.6–1.6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis angular; pubescent; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; connate into a cup below; ovate; 3.5–6.5 mm long; base obconical; base pilose. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; emerging irregularly from body of a burr; 35–50 in principal whorl; with longest bristle scarcely emergent; 2–3 mm long; flattened; rigid; retrorsely scaberulous; glabrous, or pubescent; spinose.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 2.5–3.6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.9 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2.2–3.1 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5–3.6 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea coriaceous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. De Lisle.

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