Melinis tanatricha

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–90 cm long; 1.2–1.5 mm diam.; 3 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 3.5–7.5 cm long; 2.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–2.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 10–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; gibbous; 3.4–4.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.2–0.4 mm long; 0.05–0.1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; gibbous; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous; glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 30–50 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 5 -veined; scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; ciliate on margins; lobed; 2 -fid; mucronate, or awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 0.7–19 mm long. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma oblong; laterally compressed; 2 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat; ciliate. Palea cartilaginous; without keels.

FLOWER Stigmas laterally exserted.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA.

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