Rhytachne latifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–100 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Collar dark (brown). Leaf-blades flat; 15–50 cm long; 4–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 10–15 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; glabrous on surface; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate; 5–10 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; 6–8 mm long; glabrous.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by barren pedicels, or rudimentary; 0–1 mm long; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 5.5–8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus glabrous; 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; coriaceous; without keels; winged on margins; winged narrowly; winged above. Lower glume surface smooth. Lower glume apex acute; muticous. Upper glume oblong; membranous; 3 -veined. Upper glume muticous.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex acute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FTEA.

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