Ehrharta rupestris

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming, or mat forming. Culms prostrate; 10–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate, or involute; 2–10 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute, or acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1–9 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; linear; equilateral, or nodding; 0.5–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–6.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1–2 mm long; 0.2–0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined; smooth; glabrous; obtuse. Lemma of upper sterile floret elliptic; 3.5–5 mm long; 2–2.5 length of lower sterile floret; coriaceous; tuberculate; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; 4.5–6.3 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 7 -veined. Lemma surface tuberculate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.8 length of lemma; membranous; 3 -veined; 1-keeled.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; obovate; membranous. Anthers 6.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Ehrharteae. WDC.

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