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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Phacelurus franksae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 20–60 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths keeled; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; terete; 15–30 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–3; paired, or digitate; 3–6.5 cm long. Rhachis semiterete; glabrous on surface, or pubescent on surface; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes clavate. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform; with simple rim, or hairy rim. Raceme-bases linear; 5–15 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels clavate; semiterete; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy all along, or all along but hairs longer above; tip cupuliform.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus indistinct. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 6–8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base truncate; with central peg; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; purple; 2-keeled. Lower glume primary vein spinulose. Lower glume intercarinal veins obscure. Lower glume surface convex, or flat, or concave; smooth, or spinose; rough on veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein spinulose.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline; without keel. Palea hyaline.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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