Stenotaphrum clavigerum

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms 3–20 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 2–6 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; deciduous as a whole. Peduncle disarticulating; disarticulating above uppermost sheath; base blunt.

Racemes 1; single; clavate (corky); bilateral; 0.5–0.75 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3–5 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis subterete; 2–3 mm wide; terminating in a barren extension; extension inconspicuous (corky). Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets sunken (representing reduced racemes); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.2–0.5 mm long; 0.1–0.2 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume ovate; 0.2–0.5 mm long; 0.1–0.2 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex truncate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 3 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret winged on keels. Fertile lemma oblong; 2–2.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea chartaceous. Palea apex obtuse.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Sauer.

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