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Descriptions

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

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

Tristachya biseriata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–90 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 30–40 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 6–7 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 6–7 cm long.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels fused to each other; united wholly.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 20–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 1.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 20–25 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume margins tuberculately ciliate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 20–25 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins tuberculate; ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 20–25 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 9–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 30–50 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing across body of lemma. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; deciduous with the principal; (10–)12(–14) mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened.

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; hairy at apex.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Arundinelleae. Gr S Afr 1997.

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