Echinochloa brevipedicellata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 4–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; closely spaced (inflorescence lanceolate); unilateral; 1–4 cm long; simple. Central inflorescence axis 8–25 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing crowded; regular; 4 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; gibbous; acute; 1.5–2.5(–3) mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.3–0.4 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent, or hispid. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; membranous; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent, or hispidulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent, or hispidulous; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; gibbous; 1.5–2.5 mm long; indurate; much thinner above; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; laterally pinched. Palea reflexed at apex; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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