Merxmuellera davyi

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths coriaceous; yellow; glossy; glabrous (strigose inside). Culms erect; 80–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades ascending; convolute; 30–60 cm long; 2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 20–25 cm long; 3–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 5–10 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous; pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–4 mm long; scaberulous; puberulous; hairy above.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 15–17 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5–1 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 15–17 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 15–17 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous; with marginal hair tufts; bearing 6 hair tufts in all. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.5 of lemma length; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 9–11 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 2 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Arundineae. FTA.

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