Poecilostachys mainborondroensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 35–40 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches sparse, or ample. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; pubescent; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or erect. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3–12 cm long; 5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.7–4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 6–15 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 1 in the cluster, or 2 in the cluster; subequal, or the lower smaller. Pedicels 1.5–2.5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.8–6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 3–5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 3.5–4 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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