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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 thoroldii
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 170–240 cm long; 4–6 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or hirsute. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 40–80 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; stiff.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle antrorsely scabrous above.
Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; effuse; 50–70 cm long; 6–25 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches straight, or flexuous; scaberulous; glabrous.
Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels subequal; 2–2.5 mm long; glabrous, or setose.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 5–7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.3 mm long; bearded; truncate.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or ovate; 3–4 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface setose; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex truncate, or obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 5–7.5 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; 5–7.5 mm long; chartaceous; 3 -veined; obtuse, or acute. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma oblong; 4.5–5.5 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 0.15 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 14–26 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Column of lemma awn 7–8 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.
NOTES Arundinelleae. FWTA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
