Leptochloa squarrosa

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–80 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or pilose; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–25; borne along a central axis; spreading, or ascending; straight, or flexuous; unilateral; 15–28 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 15–35 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3–4.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.6–2.3 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 2.4–3.7 mm long; 1.6–1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 1.4–2.3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; isodiametric; trigonous; sulcate on hilar side; 1.2–1.3 mm long; dark brown, or black.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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