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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 pratii

HABIT Annual. Culms 30–50 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pilose. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths 3–5 cm long; smooth, or papillose; glabrous on surface, or hirsute. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–5 cm long; 3 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 6 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence.

Panicle open; oblong; 9–12 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches capillary; pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 5–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 7.5–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent; truncate.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or ovate; 3 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface setose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 7.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface setose; with tubercle-based hairs. 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; 6.5–7 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; 3 -veined; pilose; hairy in the middle; hairy on veins; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 4–4.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 1 mm long; 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 15 mm long; scabrous. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Jac-Fel 2005.

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