Willkommia sarmentosa

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms 40–60 cm long; wiry. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–20 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; spinulose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–9; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2.5–8 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 8–22 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.7–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; 0.75 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 3.7–4.5 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein conspicuous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1 mm long overall. Palea keels ciliate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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