Chrysopogon nigritanus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Roots aromatic. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations intravaginal; flabellate. Culms erect; 150–300 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 30–90 cm long; 4–7 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle with branches tipped by a raceme.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 15–40 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; simple.

Racemes 5–15 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened. Rhachis internodes filiform. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform. Raceme-bases filiform; pubescent; hairy at tip.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; linear; dorsally compressed; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; scabrous; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 4.5–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus square; bearded; base obtuse; inserted. Spikelet callus hairs white; 0.15 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface spinose; rough generally. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein spinulose. Upper glume muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins. Fertile lemma oblong; 2–3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous; 2–12 mm long overall; not or scarcely exserted from spikelet. Palea 0.3–0.5 length of lemma; hyaline; 0 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FTEA.

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