Tribolium pusillum

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 5–30 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 0.5–3 cm long; 0.5–3 mm wide; flaccid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle disarticulating; disarticulating below uppermost sheaths.

Panicle capitate; oblong, or globose; 0.5–2 cm long. Panicle branches terete; pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; recurved at apex. Lower glume elliptic; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned. Lower glume awn 8–13 mm long. Upper glume elliptic; 3–3.5 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acuminate; awned. Upper glume awn 8–13 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3.5–4 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below; with capitate hairs. Lemma margins ciliate (tuberculate). Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; 1–4 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; truncate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. WDC.

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