Crinipes abyssinicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–80 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 20–40 cm long; 2–6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; elliptic; 10–30 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension, or with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1–1.3 mm long. Floret callus elongated; 0.7 mm long; bearded; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.3 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 4 mm long; scarious; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma hairs 0.5–1 mm long. Lemma apex entire; acute; awned. Principal lemma awn apical; 7–12 mm long overall. Palea 0.6–0.7 length of lemma. Rhachilla extension 0.1–0.2 length of fertile floret. Apical sterile florets 0–1 in number; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 0–7 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; glabrous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Arundineae. WDC.

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