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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 pseudopallescens

HABIT Perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths light brown; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm; with curly dead sheaths. Glands elongated. Culms 40–80 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 30 cm long; 6 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins glandular; smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 100 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 8–12 cm long; 4–8 cm wide. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 0.75–1 length of fertile spikelet; glandular; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 8–12 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; 8–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; yellow; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; glabrous to villous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 8–12 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; yellow; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous; glabrous to villous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma surface villous. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 0.3 mm long; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 12–17 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 4–8 mm long; equalling glumes; shorter than principal. Palea surface glabrous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 2.7–3 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.