Coelachne auquieri

HABIT Annual, or perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–50 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2.5–5.5 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 10–20 cm long; 3–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading, or reflexed; 2–4 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 4–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2–2.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 2 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy at base. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back and on margins; hairy at base.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.5–0.9 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 0.5–1 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Isachneae. Ndabaneze 1997.

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