Stereochlaena caespitosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms 100–150 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 10–40 cm long; 2–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes (2–)3–8; digitate; unilateral; 8–12 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; 1 mm wide; ciliate on margins.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–4.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 0.5–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; ribbed; convex across back, or flat across back; scabrous; rough on veins; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1–3 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4.5 mm long; chartaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel. Lemma margins flat; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea chartaceous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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