Rhytachne gracilis

HABIT Annual; culms solitary. Culms slender; 15–60 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; 5–8 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 5–10 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; glabrous on surface; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate; 2–3 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; foliaceous; curved; 2–3 mm long; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by awns; comprising 1 awn; 3–5 mm long; deciduous with the fertile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base truncate; with central peg; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 9 -veined. Lower glume surface muricate, or rugose (inconspicuously). Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 2 -awned. Lower glume awn 3–5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 3 -veined. Upper glume awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 3 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 2 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FTA.

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