GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Polypogon griquensis

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 3–20 cm long; 1–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3–4 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 2–6 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; continuous, or interrupted; 1–8 cm long; 0.3–1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2.5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile, or pedicelled. Pedicels linear; 0.2–0.4 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 1–1.4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with the pedicel. Spikelet callus square.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets, or exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume oblong; 1–1.4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume oblong; 1–1.4 mm long; 1–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex erose; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical, or subapical; straight; 0.4–0.5 mm long overall. Palea 0.66–0.75 length of lemma; hyaline; 0 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.25 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 0.5–0.75 mm long. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aveneae. FTA.

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