Poecilostachys marojejyensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 18–20 cm long. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–1.5 cm long; 2.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation prominent. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; unilateral; bearing few fertile spikelets. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–5.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex truncate; mucronate. Upper glume oblong; 4 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; hairy at apex. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; 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.