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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Pennisetum longistylum

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Culms decumbent; 10–25 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–16 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 1–3 cm long; 0.6 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis angular; glabrous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; lanceolate; 10–20 mm long; base obtuse; base pubescent. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; terete; flexible; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 10–20 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, or oblate; 0.5–1 mm long; 0.05–0.1 length of spikelet; membranous; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate, or oblate; 1–2 mm long; 0.1–0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate, or ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 11–15 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10–20 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea membranous.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 4–4.5 mm long; anther tip smooth. Filaments 5 mm long. Stigmas 2. Styles connate below; 1 of their length connate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: Macaronesia and northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA 1993.

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