Guaduella densiflora

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph; knotty. Culms erect; 40–90 cm long; firm. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Branch complement one; solitary. Leaves cauline; 4–14 per branch. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades elliptic, or oblong; 9–20 cm long; 20–60 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence on a separate leafless culm. Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 2–12 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; ovate; 5–7 cm long. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 20–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1 mm long; obscured by lemmas. Floret callus evident; 1.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 11–13 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5–6 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 11–13 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma obovate; 6–9 mm long; herbaceous; without keel; 13–21 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 4 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; obovate; membranous; veined; obtuse. Anthers 6. Stigmas 2; papillose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical.

NOTES Guaduellaeae. WDC.

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