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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 patula
HABIT Annual; caespitose. Glands absent, or raised crateriform. Culms 15–30 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–12 cm long; 3–4 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins eglandular, or glandular; smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 200 fertile spikelets.
Panicle open; ovate; 5–10 cm long; 4–9 cm wide. Panicle branches bearded in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.75–1.5 length of fertile spikelet; eglandular, or glandular; smooth, or scaberulous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3.5–5 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; 3.5–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 3.5–5 mm long; 1.6–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5–5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma hairs 0.6 mm long. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; acute; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 4–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 1–3 mm long; enclosed by glumes; shorter than principal. Palea surface glabrous, or villous.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 1.9–2.5 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.
