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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Cynosurus coloratus

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 5–20 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 7–13 mm long; acute. Leaf-blades 2–5 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle capitate; ovate; secund; 2–3 cm long; 1.5–3 cm wide. Panicle axis scaberulous.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; oblong; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; longer than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 11–13; exserted from glumes; 1–1.5 mm long; 1-awned; with 6–12 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 3–6 mm long. Upper glume linear, or lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 3–6 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 3.5–4 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex emarginate, or acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 15–20 mm long overall. Palea lanceolate; 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface scabrous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.45–0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong, or ovoid; 2.6–2.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north. Asia-temperate: western Asia.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Afr N 1993.

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