New! - Search other data sources for Helictotrichon natalense

Help - Wrong Description?

Kew Data Sources

Kew's Herbarium Catalogue
ePIC - Electronic Plant Information Centre

External Data Sources

Note - this takes you off of our website
Use your browser's back button to return to this page

GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Helictotrichon natalense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–80 cm long; 4 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths scaberulous; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–25 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; simple; 2–3.5 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; scaberulous; glabrous, or hispidulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 1.5 mm long; pilose; hairy at tip; with 3 mm long hairs. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 6 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7–8 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 6–8 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 1 mm long. Palea 4 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–2 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.