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Descriptions

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

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

Pseudechinolaena madagascariensis

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 10–20 cm long; 5–6 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 1.5–6.5 cm long; 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 5–13; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.8–1.3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2.5–7 cm long. Rhachis angular; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing crowded; irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 0.2–0.4 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets rudimentary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1.7–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 3–4 mm long. Upper glume ovate; gibbous; 1.7–2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface tuberculate; setose; with hooked hairs. Upper glume apex caudate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; gibbous; 1.5–1.6 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; fenestrate (at the base); 3 -veined; pubescent; hairy above; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1.2–1.3 mm long; coriaceous; shiny; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma margins convolute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; lanceolate; 1 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.