Poecilostachys hildebrandtii

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 50–70 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2–7 cm long; 5–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–8 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal, or the lower smaller. Pedicels 3 mm long; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4–5 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn subapical; 1–8 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5.5–6 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; cartilaginous; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 2003.

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