Loudetia cuanzensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 45–60 cm long; 4–6 -noded; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches sparse; arising from lower culm. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths loose; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–20 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous. Leaf-blade margins entire. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 6–15 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 1–3 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 9–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.75 mm long; bearded; acute.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4–6 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of spikelet; chartaceous; light brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; light brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; 3 -veined; glabrous; acuminate. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.66 length of lemma. Fertile lemma oblong; 8–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 0.33 mm long; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 15–20 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 6–9 mm long; puberulous. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3–3.5 mm long; anther tip smooth.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Lubke & Phipps.

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