GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Trichoneura ciliata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–95 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 10–25 cm long; 2.5–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–25; borne along a central axis; spreading, or ascending; unilateral; 2–8 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 8–20 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 6.7–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose; hairy at tip. Floret callus pilose.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 5.3–7.2 mm long; 0.9–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.1–0.5 mm long. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 5.5–8.2 mm long; 1.5–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.1–0.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.8–4.4 mm long; membranous; mid-green, or purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0.6–1.3 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on back; with simple hairs. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6–1.1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; dorsally compressed; plano-convex, or concavo-convex; 1.6–2.1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Inflorescence elliptic to oblong.

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