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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Pentameris borussica
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths coriaceous; pallid; glossy; glabrous, or pubescent, or villous. Glands absent, or raised crateriform. Culms 15–75 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 6–25 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute. Leaf-blade margins glandular; smooth.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; effuse; 4–12 cm long; 1–15 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches capillary; glandular; bearded in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; glandular.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3.5–8 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; 3.5–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; glandular; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 3.5–8 mm long; 1.5–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; glandular; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.2–3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6–11 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 2–4 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 2–3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 1 length of lemma. Rhachilla extension 0–0.05 length of fertile floret.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.
NOTES Arundineae. Linder.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
