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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.
Melinis subglabra
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Culms geniculately ascending; 60–120 cm long; (0.7–)1–2 mm diam.; wiry. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.7–1.1(–1.5) mm long. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 2–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 7–15 cm long; 2–6 cm wide. Panicle branches capillary; glabrous; pubescent in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels bearing a few hairs; hairy above.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; gibbous; 3–5 mm long; with hairs extending 1–2.5 mm beyond apex; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes (0.2–0.6mm).
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5–1 mm long; 0.15–0.2 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex emarginate, or truncate. Upper glume oblong; gibbous; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; dark brown; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy below; with a dorsal tuft of hair. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume hairs white, or purple. Upper glume apex emarginate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0–1(–5) mm long.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; much thinner above; 5 -veined; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy below; ciliate on margins; emarginate; muticous, or awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 0–3 mm long. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Palea cartilaginous; without keels.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Stigmas laterally exserted.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west-central tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.
NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
