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Descriptions

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

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

Phragmites mauritianus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; reed-like; 200–800 cm long. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths loose. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 25–75 cm long; 6–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 30–50 cm long; 10–20 cm wide. Primary panicle branches profusely divided; naked below.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 3–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7–16 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.5–1 mm long; bearded; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.5 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate to ovate; 0.7–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex cuspidate. Upper glume lanceolate to ovate; 3–5 mm long; 0.4–0.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; elliptic; 7–8 mm long; 1 length of fertile lemma; membranous; 3–7 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 8–9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1–3 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 0.66 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3 (2 in sterile floret). Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Arundineae. FTEA.

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