Pentameris elegans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Butt sheaths light brown; glabrous. Glands absent. Culms 20–30 cm long; 10 -noded. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–3 cm long; 1 mm wide; flaccid; eglandular. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy abaxially; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 2–10 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 4–5 cm long; 1.5–2.5 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches eglandular; glabrous in axils, or pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1.2 length of fertile spikelet; eglandular; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 7–9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; yellow, or mid-green; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 7–9 mm long; 2.5–3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; yellow, or mid-green; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy above. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 2 mm long; enclosed by glumes; shorter than principal.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; brown.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. Linder 1992.

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