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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Leptocarydion vulpiastrum
HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 10–120 cm long. Leaves cauline. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded, or cordate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2–12 cm long; 6–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation comprising 5–15 vascular bundles. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.
Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; in a multilateral false spike; appressed; unilateral; 0.5–4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–20 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded.
Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled, or sessile. Pedicels filiform; 0.5–1 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent; obtuse; disarticulating obliquely.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2–4 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical, or from a sinus; 2.5–5 mm long overall. Palea 0.7 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 2; oblong. Stigmas 2.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; isodiametric; trigonous; 1.5 mm long. Embryo 0.3 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia.
NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
