Merxmuellera macowanii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms 70–130 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; aciculate; convolute; 30–65 cm long; 1.3 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; interrupted; 17–27 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (2–)3–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 9–14 mm long; 6 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 9–14 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–14 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 5–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous; with a transverse row of hair tufts; bearing 6 hair tufts in all. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; incised 0–0.2 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight, or geniculate; adnate to lemma lobes at base; 5–8 mm long overall; without a column, or with a straight or slightly twisted column. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; oblong; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Arundineae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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