Chrysochloa subaequigluma

HABIT Annual. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 20–75 cm long; wiry; 3–4 -noded; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes elliptical in section; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; keeled; smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 3–11 cm long; 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; digitate; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 8 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 1–2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 4.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume ovate; gibbous (slightly); 4.5–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; yellow; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4.5–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; yellow; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn subapical; 0.5–1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface striate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma hairs 1–2 mm long. Lemma apex emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 1.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea apex acuminate. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; male, or barren; lanceolate; 2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns subapical; 0.5 mm long.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.6–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Swallen 1998.

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