GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Loudetiopsis ambiens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 100–210 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 30–60 cm long; 4–8 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 25–30 cm long; 2.5–11 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending. Panicle branches flexuous; scaberulous; glabrous.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels subequal; 1–2 mm long; setose.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; bearded; truncate.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3.5–5 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; setose; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume hairs yellow. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; chartaceous; 3 -veined; obtuse, or acute. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.1 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 20–25 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 8–10 mm long. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 2–2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Arundinelleae. FTA.

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