Urelytrum giganteum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 120–400 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2–3 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades 30–100 cm long; 10–25 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; 20–50; borne along a central axis; in several whorls; 10–25 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 15–30 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; semiterete; glabrous on surface. Rhachis internodes cuneate. Rhachis internode tip oblique; crateriform; with scarious rim. Raceme-bases linear; 20–40 mm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels cuneate; glabrous; tip cupuliform.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; elliptic; 4–5 mm long; shorter than fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes coriaceous; muticous, or awned; one glume awned; with 7–15 mm long awn.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5.5–6.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; base obtuse; inserted.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; keel-less except near apex. Lower glume surface spinose; rough on flanks. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea hyaline.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, and east tropical.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FTEA.

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