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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 pallescens
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pallid; glossy; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Glands elongated. Culms decumbent; 60–120 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–18 cm long; 7–10 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 200 fertile spikelets.
Panicle open; ovate; 10–18 cm long; 7–10 cm wide. Panicle branches bearded in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.75 length of fertile spikelet; glandular; smooth.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 10–12 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; 10–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; mid-green; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 10–12 mm long; 2–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; mid-green; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 4–6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 2.5 mm long; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 9–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 3 mm long; enclosed by glumes; shorter than principal. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; hairy above.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 3.5–4 mm long; purple.
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.
