Nastus aristatus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 100–200 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement many. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs setose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat, or conduplicate; 1.5–4 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 10–14 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1–2 fertile spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes several; 3–4 empty glumes; lower persistent, upper deciduous (with floret); shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.3–1.4 mm long; chartaceous; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 7–9 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse; pubescent. Palea 4.3 mm long; coriaceous; without keels. Palea surface glabrous. Palea apex obtuse; pubescent. Rhachilla extension 4–4.5 mm long; glabrous. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic; 1 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 3. Anthers 6; 2.7–2.9 mm long; yellow. Stigmas 3. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Camus 1996.

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