Dactyloctenium robecchii

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present. Culms 15–30 cm long. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaves distichous. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 0.5–2 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (2–)3–4(–5); digitate; closely spaced; in a head; oblong; unilateral; 0.8–2 cm long. Rhachis deciduous from axis; flattened; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.8–4.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; recurved at apex. Lower glume ovate; 1–2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1–2.5 mm long; 0.4–0.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; elliptic in profile; 2.4–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2–1.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; granular.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. TAC.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Stolons scaly.

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