Tribolium brachystachyum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 5–30 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1–12 cm long; 2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; oblong; unilateral; 1–2.5 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising (4–)5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; 3.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume ovate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface setose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface setose; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below; with clavate hairs. Lemma margins eciliate. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back; with turgid hairs. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with tardily free pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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