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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 microlaena

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent. Basal innovations intravaginal; flabellate. Culms erect; 50–110 cm long; 1–2.5 mm diam. Culm-internodes hollow. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 6–8 mm long. Leaf-blades erect; filiform; involute; 7–15 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or oblong; 6–18 cm long.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 13–15 mm long; 2.5 mm wide; 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 elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; chartaceous; mid-green; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4–5 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; mid-green; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 6–7 mm long; 0.5 length of fertile lemma; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined; ribbed; glabrous, or pubescent; attenuate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 13–25 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret obovate; 13–15 mm long; 2 length of lower sterile floret; cartilaginous; ribbed; attenuate; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret 13–25 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; 10–12 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex truncate; pubescent. Palea 0.75–1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous; ciliate; 2-toothed. Anthers 4; 7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis 8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Ehrharteae. Gibbs-Russell.

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