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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 grandiglumis
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–85 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2.5 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 3–11 cm long; 3–5.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; deciduous as a whole. Peduncle fracturing.
Racemes 8–30; borne along a central axis; spreading; unilateral; 3–19 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 7–32 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; distant.
Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5.3–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose; hairy at tip. Floret callus pubescent.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets, or reaching apex of florets; gaping. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 5.3–13.5 mm long; 1–1.2 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1–2 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–11 mm long; 1.7–2.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–2 mm long.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 3–5 mm long; membranous; purple; without keel, or keeled; lightly keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0.5–1.25 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; with turgid hairs. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.7 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; dorsally compressed; plano-convex, or concavo-convex; 1.8–2 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.
NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.
ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Inflorescence ovate to pyramidal.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.