Chaetopoa taylorii

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 6.5–30 cm long; 2–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 3.5–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis angular; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster; on shorter pedicels than sterile. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 6–8 in the cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets; cuneate; base truncate; base glabrous. Pedicels linear; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 3.5–4 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes subulate; 2 mm long. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; exserted from glumes; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4–4.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure, or two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume subulate (when present). Upper glume subulate; 3.5 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; ciliolate on margins; entire; acuminate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1–1.5 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; chartaceous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea chartaceous; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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