Coelachyrum poiflorum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Culms 30–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–6 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–2 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.5–5.6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; parallel to lemmas. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.1–0.3 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.1–2.3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate. 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; orbicular; flattened; concavo-convex; 1 mm long; rugose.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. TAC.

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