Lophacme parva

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long. Leaves distichous. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or absent; 0.1 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–5 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–7; digitate; unilateral; 2.5–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1–4 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent; obtuse; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 1(–3) -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; flexuous; 10–15 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1–3 in number; male (the lowest when present), or barren; in a clump; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 4–10 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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