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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 chrysura

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; scaly. Butt sheaths glabrous, or villous. Glands absent. Culms 100–150 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 20–45 cm long; 4–7 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 10–24 cm long; 3–8 cm wide. Panicle branches pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1–8 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7.5–9 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; 7.5–9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; yellow; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 7.5–9 mm long; 1.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; yellow; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. 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 pilose. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25–0.33 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 9–15 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1–2 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 4–5 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; 2–2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Arundineae. Linder.

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