Harpochloa pseudoharpechloa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 70–120 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 10–30 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 1; single; arcuate; unilateral; 4–7 cm long. Rhachis semiterete; ciliate on margins; terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; parallel to lemmas. Lower glume ovate; 4–6 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 6–8 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex emarginate. Palea 0.8–0.9 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; dissimilar. First apical floret male; oblong; 5 mm long; glabrous; muticous. Apical sterile florets barren; cuneate; 0.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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