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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 kerstingii
HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 45–100 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades aciculate, or linear; flat, or involute; 10–20 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open, or contracted; oblong; 5–12 cm long. Panicle branches hispid; with tubercle-based hairs.
Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels subequal; 2–3 mm long; setose.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 14–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1.3 mm long; bearded; 2-toothed.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–10 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or setose; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume hairs yellow. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 14–17 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface setose; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex truncate.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 9–11 mm long; chartaceous; 3 -veined; truncate, or obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret winged on keels; pilose. Fertile lemma elliptic; 5–6 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 0.1 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 70–120 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 30–40 mm long; pubescent. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened.
FLOWER Anthers 2; 2 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical.
NOTES Arundinelleae. FTA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
