Secale africanum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 20–35 cm long; 4–9 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; bilateral; 8–12 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded. Rhachis internodes oblong; falling with spikelet above.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or cuneate; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume subulate; 10–15 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume subulate; 10–15 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 10–15 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 10–20 mm long overall; limb scabrous. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; ciliate. Anthers 3. Ovary with a fleshy appendage below style insertion; pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Triticeae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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