Louisiella fluitans

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 10–30 cm long; 5–7 mm diam.; spongy; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths reticulately veined. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 7–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 5–20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–5 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs, or in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2–3 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; angular; 1–1.5 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 7–8.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 1 mm long; 0.1–0.2 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0–2 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent to obscure. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7–9 -veined; scabrous; rough on veins; acuminate. Fertile lemma ovate; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea coriaceous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; dorsally compressed; plano-convex. Embryo 0.3 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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