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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 natalensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous; glabrous, or pilose. Glands absent. Culms erect, or decumbent; 30–70 cm long; 2–5 -noded. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; 10–30 cm long; 0.5–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 10–18 cm long; 6–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches capillary; eglandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 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; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 5–9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; yellow and purple; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 5–9 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; yellow and purple; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–4.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.2 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 7–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3–5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 2–4 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 1 length of lemma. Rhachilla extension 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, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Arundineae. FTEA.

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