Koeleria capensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery; not bulbous, or thickened and forming a bulb; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 20–80 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 5–30 cm long; 0.5–2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear, or lanceolate; continuous, or interrupted; 4–15 cm long. Panicle branches pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–3 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 3.5–6 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.5–6 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–6.5 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; shiny; keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate. Palea gaping. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; oblong; membranous; 2-toothed. Anthers 3; (1–)1.8–2.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

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

NOTES Aveneae. FTEA.

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