Desmazeria philistaea

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 10–30 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 2–7 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; secund; 1.5–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing 1–5 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 6–28 mm long; 3–5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 4 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; ovate in profile; 4–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins with distinct primaries but obscure intermediates. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; with capitate hairs. Lemma hairs 0.2 mm long. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3–3.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; dorsally compressed; 2–2.2 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

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

NOTES Poeae. WDC.

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