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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 aristidoides

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; light brown; villous. Glands elongated. Culms 50–100 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 30 cm long; 5–10 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 100 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–20 cm long; 12–15 cm wide. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.75–1 length of fertile spikelet; glandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 12–20 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; 12–20 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; light brown; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 12–20 mm long; 2.1–2.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; light brown; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5.5–7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy on veins. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 20–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 7–11 mm long; exserted, or equalling glumes; shorter than principal. Palea surface pubescent; hairy above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 4.5 mm long; brown, or purple.

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.