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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Loudetia esculenta

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 60–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 3–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–35 cm long; 3–7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3–5 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 22–32 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 2 mm long; bearded; truncate.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 10–15 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 17–24 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; 3 -veined; acuminate. Palea of lower sterile floret winged on keels. Fertile lemma oblong; 12.5–15.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; incised 0.15 of lemma length; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 80–110 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 30–50 mm long. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 6.5 mm long; anther tip smooth.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Arundinelleae. CEH.

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