Hylebates cordatus

HABIT Annual. Culms prostrate; 40–150 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base amplexicaul. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; 5–35 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 8–25 cm long; evenly furnished.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–1 mm long; 0.2–0.3 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; scabrous; rough on veins; glabrous; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 0.5–1 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; chartaceous. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea chartaceous; without keels.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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