Acroceras tenuicaule

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 20–30 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 3–4 cm long; 5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–5; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–2.5 cm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.2–1.7 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 1.4–1.7 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex cuspidate; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 2.2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex laterally pinched.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; herbaceous; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; indurate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea involute; 1 length of lemma; indurate.

FRUIT Disseminule comprising a spikelet.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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