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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Helictotrichon dodii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 50–100 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long. Leaf-blades 30–50 cm long; 3–5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; equilateral, or nodding; 12–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–5 cm long. Panicle axis smooth. Panicle branches smooth, or scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 12–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2 mm long; pilose; hairy above; with 3–3.5 mm long hairs. Floret callus 0.6 mm long; pilose. Floret callus hairs 1.25 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 12–15 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 13–14 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 17–22 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 5–7 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 4 mm long. Palea 5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aveneae. Schweickerdt 1993.

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