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.

Elytrophorus globularis

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 5–60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–25 cm long; 2–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle glomerate; linear; interrupted; 3–20 cm long; 0.5–1.1 cm wide.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 3–5 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 3–5 in the cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by single glumes; linear; 1.5–3 mm long; longer than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes membranous; 1 -veined; truncate; awned; with 1–5 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–1.5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–1.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–2 mm long overall. Palea orbicular; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; with toothed wings. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 1, or 2. Anthers 1–3; 1.5–2 mm long. Stigmas 2; sparsely hairy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Arundineae. FTEA.

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