Tenaxia disticha

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms 15–20 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 10–50 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 2–10 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 9–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–20 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–20 mm long; 1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 9–15 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous; with basal hair tufts near margin; bearing 2 hair tufts in all. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10–16 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; membranous; ciliate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Arundineae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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