Piptophyllum welwitschii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent, or woolly; persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 30–40 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; filiform; involute; 10–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 7–17 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous; 5 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 1 mm long; shorter than principal. Rhachilla extension 0.2 length of fertile floret.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Arundineae. WDC.

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