Paratheria glaberrima

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 15–60 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 8–15; borne along a central axis; in a multilateral false spike; appressed; 2.5–4 cm long; bearing 1 spikelet. Central inflorescence axis 7–15 cm long. Rhachis deciduous from axis; smooth on margins; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like. Spikelet packing abaxial. Raceme-bases linear; 10–15 mm long; glabrous; shed with the raceme; pungent.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 20–27 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 0.2 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–3 mm long; 0.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of fertile lemma; membranous; 7–11 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–12 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; 7 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea cartilaginous.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FWTA.

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