Ehrharta rehmannii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; not obviously scaly, or scaly. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect, or decumbent, or rambling; of moderate stature; 12–100 cm long; 0.3–2.5 mm diam.; firm, or wiry, or woody. Culm-internodes hollow, or solid. Lateral branches ample. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–2 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent, or deciduous at the ligule; 1.5–30 cm long; 2–8.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes, or comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1–50 fertile spikelets; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear; 1–12 cm long; bearing many spikelets, or few spikelets. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes; indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Racemes single.

Spikelets appressed, or spreading, or deflexed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated between basal sterile florets. Floret callus glabrous, or pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; parallel to lemmas, or gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 4–8.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous, or chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4–8.5 mm long; 0.9–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous, or chartaceous; without keels; 1–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 4–8.5 mm long; 1 length of fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 3–7 -veined; without ribs, or ribbed; smooth, or scabrous, or rugose; truncate; muticous. Lemma of upper sterile floret elliptic; basally auriculate; 4–8.5 mm long; 1 length of lower sterile floret; coriaceous; rugose above; obtuse; muticous. Fertile lemma elliptic; 4–8.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lemma apex truncate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Ehrharteae. Gibbs-Russell.

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