Ellisochloa rangei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm. Culms 12–30 cm long. Culm-nodes brown, or black. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; terete; 3.5–14 cm long; 1–1.3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 4–6 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 9–12 mm long; 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; 9–12 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 9–12 mm long; 1.3–1.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; with a transverse row of hair tufts; bearing 4 hair tufts in all. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; simple at base; 9–10 mm long overall; with twisted column.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous; truncate. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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