Oropetium aristatum

HABIT Annual; cushion forming. Culms erect; 5–10 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades involute; 1–2 cm long; 0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 1–2 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subcylindrical and excavated. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed. Rhachis internodes linear; 3 mm long.

Spikelets sunken; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; recurved at apex. Lower glume linear; 0.5–0.7 mm long; 0.2 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 5–6 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 2–2.5 mm long overall. Palea hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins.

FRUIT Caryopsis with tardily free pericarp; fusiform; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FWTA.

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