Triraphis compacta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–70 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 6–15 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; interrupted; 6–23 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.2 mm long; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5(–4) mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; (2.5–)3–4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy above. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 3–3.5 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on margin of lemma; ascending; 3–3.5 mm long; subequal to principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.25 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; trigonous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Chippindall 1992.

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