Tetrachaete elionuroides

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 4–25 cm long; wiry. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 0.5–2 cm long; 0.5–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; closely spaced; in a multilateral false spike; oblong; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 1–3.5 cm long. Rhachis obsolete; deciduous from axis.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes collateral; similar; subequal in width; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume subulate; 7–13 mm long; 1 length of upper glume. Lower glume surface villous. Upper glume subulate; 7–13 mm long. Upper glume surface villous.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; gibbous; 2–2.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 3–4.5 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; isodiametric; trigonous; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Cynodonteae. FTEA.

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