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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 aspera

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Butt sheaths glabrous. Glands wart-like. Culms 30–60 cm long; 5–20 -noded. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–100 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; flaccid; glandular. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; glabrous to hirsute; hairy abaxially; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins glandular; scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 100 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–9 cm long; 1.5–6 cm wide. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1.5 length of fertile spikelet; glandular; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5–7 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; 5–7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; yellow; glandular; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 5–7 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; yellow; glandular; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–3.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 8–10 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 3 mm long; equalling glumes; shorter than principal. Palea surface pubescent; hairy above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 2.5–2.8 mm long; yellow.

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.