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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 platypus
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 60–100 cm long; 4 -noded. Lateral branches ample. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; exserted.
Racemes 1; single; flexuous; 6–8 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; pilose on surface. Rhachis hairs 2 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 filiform; flattened; 2 mm long; villous.
STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; 5 -veined; glabrous; ciliate on margins; acute; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 7–8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; 2 mm long; pubescent; base obtuse; attached obliquely.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; with oil streaks; 2-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume margins ciliolate (0.5mm). Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 5 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; glabrous; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 4 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Palea absent or minute.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, and southern tropical.
NOTES Andropogoneae. FTA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
