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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Pentameris horrida

HABIT Perennial; mat forming, or caespitose. Butt sheaths pallid; glossy; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 15–40 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 15–20 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff; eglandular. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 30–60 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–9 cm long; 2.5–5 cm wide. Panicle branches scaberulous; pubescent in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 6.5–7.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough on flanks. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5–5.5 mm long; 2.5–2.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.25–3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 1.1 mm long; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 8 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3 mm long. Lateral lemma awns 3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 3.5 mm long.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; veined. Anthers 3; 2.1–2.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. Galley 2008.

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