Styppeiochloa catherineana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 1.5–14 cm long; 1.5–2 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or oblong; dense; 5–6 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 7–8.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8–9.5 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets decreasing in size upwards. Fertile lemma oblong; 7–7.5 mm long; membranous; keeled. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 2 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Arundineae. Cope & Ryves 2005.

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