Rhytachne perfecta

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 60–70 cm long; 2–4 -noded. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 3–4 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 25–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; smoothly terete; 10–15 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; 2 mm wide; pubescent on surface; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes clavate; 8 mm long. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; terete; straight; 4 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 7 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; coriaceous; without keels; winged on margins; winged narrowly; winged above; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface tuberculate; rough on veins; pubescent. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 2 -awned. Lower glume awn 2–7 mm long. Upper glume oblong; membranous; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 20–25 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 8 mm long; hyaline; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.5 length of lemma. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FWTA.

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