Pentameris macrocalycina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–110 cm long. Lateral branches sparse; arising from lower culm. Leaf-sheaths tight; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; filiform; convolute; 15–30 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex muticous, or pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 6–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 17–25 mm long; 5–10 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse; disarticulating obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 18–24 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 18–24 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 1.5–3 mm long; incised 0.33–0.5 of lemma length; acuminate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15–20 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 7–10 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea oblong; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back and on flanks. Rhachilla extension 0.5–1 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; glabrous. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. Chippindall.

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