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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Ehrharta capensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 40–100 cm long; swollen at the base; forming an ovoid corm. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–22 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; crenate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear; equilateral; 7–23 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 1–3 -nate; simple.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic (margins involute below); 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; prominently veined (below); rugose; rough below; ciliolate on midvein; obtuse; muticous, or awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1–2 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of lower sterile floret (but narrower); cartilaginous; rugose above; ciliolate on midvein; acute; muticous, or awned. Awn of upper sterile floret 2–4 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; 7–10 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Ehrharteae. Gr S Afr 1993.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Corms orange shiny crowded.

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