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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Lecomtella madagascariensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms 100–200 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 12–22 cm long; 10–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 5–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing sterile spikelets below, fertile at tip.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 3–5 mm long; tip rectangular.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4–6 in number (per branch); pedicelled; separately deciduous; male; lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; equalling fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes membranous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 9–10 mm long; falling entire; readily shedding fertile florets. Floret callus winged; with free apical wings; these appendages 0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; glabrous; acuminate. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex obtuse; tuberculate. Palea reflexed at apex; 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea apex tuberculate.

FLOWER Anthers 4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 2003.

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