Cynodon incompletus

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Rhizomes absent. Stolons present; with alternating elongated and bunched internodes. Culms geniculately ascending; 5–17 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.4–1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 3–6 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; digitate; unilateral; 1.5–3.5 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Raceme-bases brief; pubescent.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 2.5–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.25–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; winged on keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate, or ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, southern tropical, and south. Australasia: Australia. South America: southern South America.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Chippindall.

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