Sehima galpinii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms 100–180 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; 7–19 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes columnar. Rhachis internode tip oblique; cupuliform.

Spikelets squeezed between internode and pedicel; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; ciliate; tip rectangular.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 10–12 mm long; shorter than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; distinctly veined; 9 -veined; acute. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes; muticous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 12–15 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus square; pilose; base obtuse; attached obliquely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; much thinner above; 2-keeled; keeled laterally. Lower glume lateral veins branching above (obscurely); intercarinal veins distinct. Lower glume surface convex, or flat; scabrous. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 3–10 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.5 of lemma length; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 24–40 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea 1 length of lemma; hyaline.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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