Poecilostachys mollis

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long; scarious. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–15 cm long; 10–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–5 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing contiguous; irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6.5–7 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 2–5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 4.5 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; 7 -veined; pilose (sparsely). Fertile lemma lanceolate; laterally compressed; coriaceous; without keel. Palea involute; coriaceous; without keels.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 2003.

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