Helictotrichon mannii

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 90–100 cm long; 4–7 -noded. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 3–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; effuse; 17–35 cm long. Panicle branches straight, or flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 14–18 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 3–3.5 mm long; pilose; hairy above; with 1–1.5 mm long hairs. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 3.5–5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; herbaceous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 5–8 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 10–16 mm long; herbaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute, or setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.66–0.8 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 10–16 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea keels ciliolate. Rhachilla extension 0.75 length of fertile floret; pilose.

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

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

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Aveneae. FTA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Rhachilla hairs shorter than itself.

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