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Descriptions

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

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

Schizachyrium kwiluense

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 10–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty; 30–40 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear.

Racemes 1; single; 1–2 cm long; bearing 8–14 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; scabrous on margins; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes filiform; 4–5 mm long. Rhachis internode tip cupuliform; with simple rim.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; 2–3 mm long; scabrous; glabrous; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled above; keeled laterally; (5–)7(–9) -veined. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough above; glabrous. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scabrous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline. Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex entire, or lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.33 of lemma length; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 4–5 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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