Danthoniopsis petiolata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 100–250 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 15–25 cm long; 10–35 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins crenate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 20–35 cm long.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 9–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.6 mm long; pubescent; truncate.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; pallid; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; pallid; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5–8 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; without hair tufts. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; incised 0.1 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 10–15 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened; winged; narrowly winged.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Arundinelleae. FZ.

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