Poecilostachys humbertii

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 20–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 8–9 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 6–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.8–1.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 7–20 cm long. Rhachis angular; hirsute on surface. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; subequal, or the lower smaller. Pedicels 0.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 3–5 mm long. Upper glume ovate; 3.5–4 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; ciliate on margins; fringed above; acute; mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; 3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; 2 -veined; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.5 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.