Sirochloa parvifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; pachymorph. Culms 250–300 cm long; 6 mm diam.; woody. Culm-internodes terete; 22 cm long; distally glabrous. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Leaf-sheath auricles falcate. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2.5–9 cm long; 6–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 4–6 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence bractiferous; clustered at the nodes; in untidy tufts; with glumaceous subtending bracts; with axillary buds at base of spikelet; prophyllate below lateral spikelets; leafless between clusters.

Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes two, or several; 2–3 empty glumes; persistent; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; chartaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea chartaceous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; rudimentary.

FLOWER Anthers 6. Stigmas 3. Ovary with a steeple-like appendage.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free brittle pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Bambuseae. Munro 2002.

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