Oryzidium barnardii

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 80–150 cm long; spongy; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 3–11 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches stiff; straight.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; angular; 0.5–4 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 8–10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with the pedicel; pedicel base truncate. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation slender.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (rarely), or oblate; 1–2(–5) mm long; 0.1–0.2 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0–3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic; chartaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 10–18 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 5 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 4–5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea coriaceous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Paniceae. CEH.

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