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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 tenuis

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 20–35 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–0.7 mm long. Leaf-blade base asymmetrical. Leaf-blades elliptic; 0.6–1.5 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–8; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 3–5 cm long; with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Central inflorescence axis 8–12 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing distant; irregular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; the lower smaller (often maturing later). Pedicels 1 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets absent, or rudimentary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 2–2.2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.8 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; gibbous; 2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel and winged on margins; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; thinner along midline; 3 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1.5 mm long; coriaceous; shiny; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7–0.9 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis 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.