Leptochloa caerulescens

HABIT Annual; culms solitary. Culms decumbent; 50–100 cm long; 10–20 -noded; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–30 cm long; 1–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; flexuous; unilateral; 2–8 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–25 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.75–1 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1.2–1.7 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels puberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, southern tropical, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FWTA.

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