Coelachyrum piercei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms decumbent; 20–45 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–9 cm long; 2.2–4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–7; borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 3–10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–10 cm long. Rhachis subterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 1–2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5–6.5 mm long; 3–4 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 2.2–3 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.9–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile florets imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.7–3 mm long; herbaceous; keeled; lightly keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex truncate, or obtuse; mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; flattened; concavo-convex; 1 mm long; rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Iran.

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