Schizachyrium lopollense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–50 cm long. Culm-internodes purple. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 1–3.5 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear.

Racemes 1; single; 1.5–3.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; villous on surface; villous on margins. Rhachis hairs 3–4 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear, or clavate; 7 mm long. Rhachis internode tip crateriform; with scarious rim.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; 0.5–0.66 length of fertile spikelet; villous; with 3–4 mm long hairs.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–5.5 mm long; shorter than fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; acuminate. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; dorsally compressed; 5.5–7.5 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 elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally; wingless. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct. Lower glume surface convex; villous. Lower glume hairs 3–4 mm long. Upper glume oblong; membranous; 1-keeled. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel; 2 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate; 4–9 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2.7–3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FZ 1997.

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