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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 migiurtina
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths coriaceous; pilose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–35 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent, or hirsute. Culm-nodes pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 5–11 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence.
Panicle contracted; linear; 5–8 cm long. Panicle branches pubescent.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–3 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; truncate.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 4–5 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 7.5–8 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex truncate, or obtuse.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 25–30 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 10–12 mm long. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long; anther tip smooth.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.
NOTES Arundinelleae. FTA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.