Zonotriche decora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–25 cm long; 5–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches simple. Panicle axis bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Panicle branches capillary; abruptly recurved near tip; villous (towards the tip); with tubercle-based hairs; bearded in axils.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels fused to each other; united wholly; 5–10 mm long; villous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 15–28 mm long; falling entire; deciduous in a cluster with fused pedicels; readily shedding fertile florets; pedicel base hooked. Floret callus evident; 0.5–1 mm long; bearded; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.4 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets, or reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; much thinner above; dark brown; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface hispid; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume hairs white. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 15–28 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 12–14 mm long; chartaceous; 5–7 -veined; glabrous, or hispid; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 8–10 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous; with a transverse row of hair tufts; bearing 6–8 hair tufts in all. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.15 of lemma length; acuminate to setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 15–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels thickened; winged; narrowly winged. Palea surface pubescent.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 4–6 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; glabrous. Hilum linear.

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

NOTES Arundinelleae. FTEA.

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