Streptogyna crinita

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms erect; 30–150 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long; pubescent on abaxial surface; erose. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–40 cm long; 10–35 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; 11–30 cm long. Rhachis semiterete; pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 1 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 20–30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes terete; springy and forming a hair trap; 1.5–2.5 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas. Floret callus elongated; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–10 mm long; 0.2–0.5 length of upper glume; scarious; dark brown; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 17–23 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; scarious; dark brown; 1-keeled; 17 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; subterete; 18–22 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex dentate; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 15–25 mm long overall; limb scaberulous. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; oblanceolate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate; obtuse. Anthers 2. Stigmas 2; terminally exserted and tangled; retrorsely barbellate. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; isodiametric; biconvex; 15 mm long; hairy at apex; apex rostrate. Embryo 0.1 length of caryopsis. Hilum linear; 1 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, and east tropical. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Streptogyneae. FTEA.

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