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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.
Loxodera rhytachnoides
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 50–90 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-internodes scaberulous; distally glabrous, or pilose. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–40 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle widened at apex.
Racemes 1; single; 6.5–9 cm long. Rhachis tardily fragile at the nodes; semiterete; pubescent on surface; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate; 7–10 mm long. Rhachis internode tip crateriform; with simple rim.
Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; angular; 5–7 mm long; pubescent.
STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 6.5–8 mm long; as long as fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; smooth, or muricate; glabrous, or pilose; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 7–9 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; bearded; base obtuse; inserted.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface muricate; glabrous. Lower glume margins ciliate, or setose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; chartaceous; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein ciliolate (above). Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 6.5 mm long; membranous; 3 -veined; ciliolate on margins; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 6.5 mm long; hyaline; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea hyaline.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 4 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.
NOTES Andropogoneae. Launert.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
