Tragus pedunculatus

HABIT Annual; mat forming. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 20–60 cm long; 2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–8; borne along a central axis; distant; spreading; cuneate; 1.1–2.2 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 2.5–5 cm long. Rhachis evident; deciduous from axis; subterete; terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate. Raceme-bases linear; 4–12 mm long; pubescent.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear, or oblong; flattened; 1–2.5 mm long; ciliate.

STERILE SPIKELETS Apical sterile spikelets rudimentary; 1–2 in number (per raceme).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; acuminate; 6–10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–2 mm long; 0.2 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–10 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins thickened; ribbed. Upper glume surface setose; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5–8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed; biconvex.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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