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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 clavata

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Butt sheaths pallid; glossy; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations intravaginal. Culms erect; 8–20 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; 2 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; 4–5 cm long; 1 mm wide; eglandular. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 10–20 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 2–3.5 cm long; 1.5–3.5 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches puberulous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; with lower wider than upper; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; mid-green and purple (at base); 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.2–2.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins without cross-veins. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy between veins but central interspaces glabrous; with clavate hairs. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; muticous. Palea 2.2 mm long. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back; with turgid hairs.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; veined. Anthers 3; 1.6–1.9 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.