Monelytrum luederitzianum

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms 20–60 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 4–12 cm long; 1–5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; spinulose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; in a multilateral false spike; cuneate; 3–6 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–4 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 3–25 cm long. Rhachis deciduous from axis; flattened; ciliate on margins; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Raceme-bases linear; 0.5–1 mm long; pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

STERILE SPIKELETS Apical sterile spikelets awn-like; 1–3 in number; 2–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded. Spikelet callus hairs 0.6–0.7 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.3–0.5 mm long; 0.1 length of upper glume; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–6 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy below. Upper glume margins scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned. Upper glume awn 3–10 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–4 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–1 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea surface pilose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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