Heteropholis benoistii

HABIT Perennial. Culms 35–50 cm long; 6–8 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–25 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary. Peduncle 5–13 cm long; widened at apex.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; unilateral; bearing 12–20 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete. Rhachis internodes cuneate. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim.

Spikelets sunken; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to internode; united wholly; oblong; flattened; tip rectangular.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by single glumes; elliptic; 2–3 mm long; shorter than fertile; persistent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 3–4.35 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus glabrous; base truncate; with central peg; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally; keeled obtusely; winged on keel; winged narrowly; winged near apex; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume surface areolate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Koning.

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