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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Elionurus hensii
HABIT Perennial. Culms 60–100 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat; 7–10 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; exserted.
Racemes 1; single; 3–8 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; villous on surface. Rhachis hairs 3–4 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 3 mm long. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat; with simple rim.
Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; 2 mm long; villous.
STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; 2–3 -veined; ciliolate on margins; acuminate; awned; one glume awned; with 1.5–2 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 1; enclosed by glumes.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; bearded; base obtuse; attached obliquely.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; with oil streaks; 2-keeled. Lower glume primary vein ciliate. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct; 6 in number. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume hairs 1–2 mm long. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 2 -awned. Lower glume awn 2 mm long; ciliate. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 3–4 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea absent or minute.
FLOWER Anthers 3.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.
NOTES Andropogoneae. FTA 1993.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
