Enneapogon scoparius

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–80 cm long; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades erect, or ascending; filiform; convolute; 5–20(–25) cm long; 1–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pilose; with capitate hairs. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; oblong; 1.5–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.5–5 mm long; 0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; grey; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 3.4–7 mm long; 1.5–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; grey; without keels; 3–6 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 9 -fid; awned; 9 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2–3.5 mm long overall; limb ciliate. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; subequal to principal; ciliate. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; dissimilar. First apical floret male; oblong; villous. Apical sterile florets barren; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 9 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns ciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; (0.8–)1.2–2.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Pappophoreae. FZ.

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