Schizachyrium thollonii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect; 40–100 cm long. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 5–20 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole linear; 3–4 cm long.

Racemes 1; single; 2.5–7 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; pilose on surface; glabrous on margins, or ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs 2–4 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear, or clavate; 4–6 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, or clavate; glabrous, or ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5–7 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; setaceously attenuate; muticous. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

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, or elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally; wingless. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct; 4–7 in number. Lower glume surface convex, or flat; puberulous; hairy below. Lower glume apex emarginate. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; hairy above. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 4 mm long; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; 3–4 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliolate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 4–8 mm long overall; with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column of lemma awn 1–2.5(–3) mm long; glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FTA 1993.

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