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Descriptions

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

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

Leptochloa gigantea

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 160–270 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 4–6 mm long; lacerate; acute. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 30–65 cm long; 4–5 mm wide; stiff; mid-green and grey-green. Leaf-blade midrib widened. Leaf-blade surface scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; 20–50; borne along a central axis; spreading, or ascending; flexuous; unilateral; 12–20 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 13–30 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled, or sessile. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 10–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 2.2–3.2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 3.2–3.8 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.6–4.8 mm long; membranous; dark green, or grey; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex entire; acuminate; mucronate (0.25–0.5mm). Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.4–2.1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; flattened; concavo-convex; 1.5–2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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