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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Dilophotriche tristachyoides
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 4–9 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 12–100 fertile spikelets.
Panicle open; oblong; 5–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches simple. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; hispid; with tubercle-based hairs.
Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels free; filiform; subequal; 1–2 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1 mm long; pilose; with longer hairs above; truncate.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–11 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface hispid; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–12 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface hispid; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate to oblong; 6–12 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 3 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with a transverse row of hair tufts; bearing 2 hair tufts in all. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 15–30 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 5–8 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 4–8 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; winged; narrowly winged.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 2 mm long; glabrous. Hilum linear.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.
NOTES Arundinelleae. FTA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
