Cenchrus somalensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 25–45 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 5–15 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear to oblong; 2.5–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; 6–16 in number; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis angular; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1–2 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; connate into a cup below; with 2–4 mm connate; 6–9 mm long; base obconical. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; with an outer whorl of thinner bristles; inner bristles longer than outer; with one conspicuously longer bristle; 10–15 mm long; flattened; flexible (often wavy); antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous, or ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acute; 4–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of fertile lemma; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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