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 falcipes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 90–120 cm long; 1–2 mm diam. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–27 cm long; 2–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–18 cm long. Panicle axis bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Panicle branches capillary; abruptly recurved near tip; pubescent in axils; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to each other; united below; filiform; subequal; 1.5–5 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 4.5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous in a cluster with fused pedicels; readily shedding fertile florets; pedicel base hooked. Floret callus 0.2 mm long; pilose; truncate.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface setose; hairy on veins (along margins); with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 4.5–6 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface setose; hairy on veins (along margins); with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 4.5–6 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acuminate. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.33 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 4–5 mm long overall; with twisted column; limb scaberulous. Column of lemma awn 1–1.5 mm long. Palea 2 -veined. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Arundinelleae. WDC.

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