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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 argentea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; villous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Glands elongated. Culms 30–80 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 25 cm long; 2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 200 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–12 cm long; 2–5 cm wide. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.75 length of fertile spikelet; glandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 9–12 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; 9–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; pallid, or yellow; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 9–12 mm long; 2.2–2.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; pallid, or yellow; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or villous. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; 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; 8–10 mm long; exserted; shorter than principal. Palea surface pubescent, or pilose.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 2.7–3 mm long; brown.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. Linder.

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