Tetrapogon tenellus

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–80 cm long; 4–6 -noded. Culm-nodes pallid. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–24 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1–2; single, or paired; ascending; unilateral; 3–5(–8) cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (3–)4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4–6.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–3.5(–6) mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate, or setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–6(–9) mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate, or setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma obovate; 4–6.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 3–11 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets (1–)2 in number; barren; in a clump; cuneate. Apical sterile lemmas muticous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; oblong; dorsally compressed; biconvex; 2–3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Cynodonteae. FTEA.

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