Lintonia brizoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms decumbent; 22–70 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blades 5.5–17 cm long; 3.5–5.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; moderately hairy. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 6–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–7 cm long; simple, or secondarily branched. Central inflorescence axis 6–10 cm long. Rhachis subterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; irregular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.4–1.2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or orbicular; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 5–7.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus truncate.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.3–2.1 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.2–3.2 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 2–3 -veined. Upper glume apex emarginate, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 3.6–4.3 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; branched. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy above; hairy on back; with capitate hairs. Lemma apex entire; emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; straight; 0.2–1 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; flattened; biconvex; 1.3 mm long; dark brown; smooth.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Cynodonteae. FTEA.

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