Hyparrhenia finitima

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 100–200 cm long. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 30–60 cm long; 4–8 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; paniculate; 30–60 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Spatheole lanceolate; 2.5–4 cm long; membranous. Peduncle 1–3 cm long; pilose above.

Racemes 2; paired; ascending; 1–1.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–3 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs white. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat. Raceme-bases filiform; unequal (the longer measured); 1.5–2.5 mm long; pilose, or hirsute.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; ciliate; tip oblique.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2 in number (lower raceme); 0 in upper raceme, or 2 in upper raceme; lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; larger than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes smooth on margins; lower glume muticous.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5–6 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous, or pubescent (hispidulous); acute; awned; one glume awned; with 2–5 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5.5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus linear; 1–2 mm long; pubescent; base acute; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; yellow; without keels; keel-less except near apex. Lower glume surface glabrous, or hispidulous. Lower glume hairs white. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume linear; coriaceous; without keels.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of fertile lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma linear; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 25–40 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn puberulous (fulvously). Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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