Cyrtococcum tamatavense

HABIT Annual. Culms erect. Culm-internodes striate; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes black. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 7–10 cm long; 9–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 4–6 secondary veins; with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 12–20 cm long; 3–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; whorled at lower nodes; 8–10 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; gibbous; obtuse; 1.5–1.6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; gibbous; 0.9–1 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma obovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1.5–1.6 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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