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Descriptions

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

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

Eleusine kigeziensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 34–60 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 11–31 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth (except near tip); glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–6; digitate (or 1 raceme offset); spreading, or ascending; unilateral; 7.5–14 cm long. Rhachis wingless; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6.1–7.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.1 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 3.6–4.1 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined (in keel). Upper glume primary vein conspicuous. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate in profile; 4.1–5 mm long; membranous; dark green, or grey; 3 -veined (excluding subsidiaries). Lemma midvein with contiguous subsidiary veins (3-veined). Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9–1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; trigonous; 1.7–2 mm long; black; striate.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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