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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Merxmuellera grandiflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; convolute; 20–40 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; shorter than basal leaves.

Racemes 1; single; paucilateral; 5–10 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3–5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 3–6 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 35–40 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1–1.5 mm long; pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 35–40 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; scarious; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 35–40 mm long; 3–3.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 12 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; with marginal hair tufts; bearing 2 hair tufts in all. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.33 of lemma length; acute; awned; 3–5 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 20–28 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 4 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 10–13 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

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

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Arundineae. FTA.

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