Danthoniopsis barbata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pubescent, or hirsute. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2.5–18 cm long; 3–10 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; entire; scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; oblong; 4–18 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels unequal; 0.5–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 9–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.6–1 mm long; pubescent; 2-toothed.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4–7 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; pallid, or purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 9–11 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; pallid, or purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 9–11 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7–9 -veined; scaberulous; ciliolate on margins; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma oblong; 5–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with a transverse fringe of hair. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma hairs 4–5 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; incised 0.3 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 16–18 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2–3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened; winged; narrowly winged. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; with turgid hairs.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5–5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; flattened; 3 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia.

NOTES Arundinelleae. FTA.

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