Sclerodactylon macrostachyum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons present. Culms erect; 40–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades terete; 10–30 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2(–3); paired; unilateral; 7–12 cm long. Rhachis angular; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

STERILE SPIKELETS Apical sterile spikelets rudimentary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–40 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 5–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret, or below groups of fertile florets.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate; 0.75 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume awn subapical.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; coriaceous; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged; scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; laterally compressed; trigonous. Embryo 0.3 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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