Hymenachne wombaliensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 80–150 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes solid. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.3 mm long. Leaf-blades linear; involute; 20–30 cm long; 5–9 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 20–40 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–6 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1–2.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3.5–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 1–1.25 mm long; 0.3 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea separating from lemma above; involute; 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea apex acuminate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. Robyns.

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