Echinochloa rotundiflora

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long; 4–5 -noded. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 7–20 cm long; 6–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; tuberculate-ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–5 cm long; secondarily branched. Central inflorescence axis 10–30 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing irregular; 3–5 -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; compressed slightly; obtuse; 3.5–5.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus oblong; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; 0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.3–0.4 length of spikelet; membranous, or chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea reflexed at apex; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, and northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA.

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