Lophacme digitata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 20–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–5 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–8; digitate; unilateral; 2.5–8 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4.5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes terete; eventually visible between lemmas. Floret callus evident; 0.3 mm long; pubescent; obtuse; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume linear; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear; 4.5–6 mm long; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0.2 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 6–8 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 3–5 in number; barren; in a clump; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 6–8 mm long; 3–4 per spikelet in number.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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