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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 oreodoxa
HABIT Perennial; cushion forming, or caespitose. Butt sheaths pallid; glossy; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm. Glands absent, or raised crateriform. Culms 20–50 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; eglandular, or glandular. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 200 fertile spikelets.
Panicle open; ovate; 7–10 cm long; 7–20 cm wide. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1 length of fertile spikelet; glandular; glabrous, or puberulous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–6 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; 4–6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; yellow; eglandular, or glandular; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4–6 mm long; 1.3–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; yellow; eglandular, or glandular; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy on veins. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 6–10 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 1–3 mm long; exserted, or equalling glumes, or enclosed by glumes; shorter than principal. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; hairy above.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 2–2.2 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.
