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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.
Trichopteryx elegantula
HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 4–25 cm long. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate to ovate; 0.5–2.5 cm long; 1–6 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; obovate; loose, or effuse; 0.5–7 cm long.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose; obtuse.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of upper glume; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent, or setose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent, or setose; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate to ovate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; with a transverse row of hair tufts; bearing 2 hair tufts in all. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 8–15 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 3–4 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.
FLOWER Anthers 2.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.
NOTES Arundinelleae. FTEA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
