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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 tibesticum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes elongated. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 30–60 cm long; 2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths tubular for much of their length; with 0.75 of their length closed; 5–10 cm long; without keel; indistinctly veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 30–70 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation without layer of subepidermal sclerenchyma masking vein striation. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 12–20 cm long.

Panicle open; oblong; 4–8 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scaberulous; puberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2 mm long; pubescent. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6.5–7.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–8.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 8–9 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 15 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea 6 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Aveneae. Mire 2005.

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