Tenaxia stricta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms 30–80 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; 10–45 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate; interrupted; 3–13 cm long; bearing few spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 11–22 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; 11–22 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 11–22 mm long; 1.8–2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6–9 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous; with marginal hair tufts; bearing 8 hair tufts in all. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; adnate to lemma lobes at base; 6–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2–3 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; ciliate. 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.