Cladoraphis cyperoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–60 cm long; woody. Leaves with blades commonly suppressed, transferring photosynthetic function to sheath and culm. Leaf-sheaths inflated. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades triangular, or linear; flat, or convolute; 0–15 cm long; 0–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; oblong, or ovate; multilateral; 1–3 cm long; simple, or secondarily branched. Central inflorescence axis 5–20 cm long; woody; tip spinose. Rhachis angular; terminating in a spikelet. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.8 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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