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Descriptions

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

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

Pentameris airoides

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Glands raised crateriform. Culms 6–35 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–6 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; flaccid; glandular. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy adaxially; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 30–100 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 2–6 cm long; 2–5 cm wide. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or pubescent in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.75–1.5 length of fertile spikelet; glandular; glabrous, or pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; shiny; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 2.5–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5–5 mm long; 1.6–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–2.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or villous; hairy all along, or at base. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; truncate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 5–8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 2–3 mm long; exserted, or equalling glumes; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 0.3–1 mm long; pallid, or yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Arundineae. Linder.

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