Stenotaphrum dimidiatum

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms prostrate; 10–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–20 cm long; 5–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; in a unilateral false spike; sunken; unilateral; 0.7–1.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 3–8 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 6–12 cm long; foliaceous (with shallow pockets); fracturing into irregular segments; tip subulate. Rhachis flattened; terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets sunken (in axis); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; (3–)4–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.1–0.3 length of upper glume; 0.1–0.3 length of spikelet; membranous; pallid; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 5 -veined; without grooves; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.5–4.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea chartaceous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia. Pacific: southwestern and south-central.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Back of inflorescence axis toothed at each node.

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