Schoenefeldia gracilis

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 15–90 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–4; digitate; unilateral; 6–15 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5–1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–5 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5–2.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous; 10–30 mm long overall; limb scaberulous. Palea hyaline; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with tardily free pericarp; ellipsoid; laterally compressed; 1.7 mm long. Embryo 0.5–0.6 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Cynodonteae. FTEA.

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