Sphenopus ehrenbergii

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 5–30 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–4 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 4–7 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex callose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or ovate; 2–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches branching divaricately. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels cuneate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; 0.3–0.5 mm long; 0.2–0.5 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.6–1 mm long; 0.25–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; (0–)1 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; membranous; keeled; keeled above; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with distinct primaries but obscure intermediates. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; linear; 0.75–1 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; 1 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Poeae. Fl Afr N.

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