Stenotaphrum unilaterale

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms slender; 10–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–12 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 12–16; borne along a central axis; in a unilateral false spike; appressed; unilateral; 0.6–1.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2–4 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 15–25 cm long; flattened; tough; tip with blunt extension. Rhachis angular; terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate. Spikelet packing abaxial.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5 mm long; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–9 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma oblong; 5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea reflexed at apex; coriaceous. Palea apex acuminate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Sauer.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Back of inflorescence axis entire.

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