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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 capillipes
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–75 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 10–20 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hispid. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; effuse; 7–18 cm long. Panicle axis bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Panicle branches capillary; abruptly recurved near tip; pilose, or villous.
Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to each other; united below; filiform; subequal; 1.5–4 mm long; ciliate.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 6–7.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous in a cluster with fused pedicels; readily shedding fertile florets; pedicel base hooked. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pilose; truncate.
GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface setose; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–7.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface setose; hairy on veins (along margins); with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex emarginate, or truncate, or acute, or acuminate.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 6–7.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; truncate, or obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–3.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.2 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 20–30 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing across body of lemma; limb scaberulous. Column of lemma awn 10–13 mm long. Palea 2 -veined.
FLOWER Anthers 2; 1.5–2.5 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.
NOTES Arundinelleae. FTA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
