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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Pentameris ellisii
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths light brown; glabrous. Basal innovations intravaginal. Glands wart-like. Culms erect; 40–60 cm long; 8 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 5–15 cm long; 0.5–0.7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 30–100 fertile spikelets.
Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; 5–10 cm long; 4–6 cm wide. Panicle branches glandular; glabrous; bearded in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; glandular.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 5.5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pilose; hairy in 2 tufts; truncate.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; shiny; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 5.5–6 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; purple; glandular; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 5.5–6 mm long; 2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; glandular; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume primary vein conspicuous. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.5–2.8 mm long; chartaceous; dull; keeled; 9 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy below. Lemma surface smooth; glabrous. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; with lobes 0.25–0.3 mm long; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 7–8 mm long overall; with 3.5–4.5 mm long limb; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3.5–4.5 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 2–2.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea linear; 3 mm long. Palea apex truncate, or obtuse.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; veined; glabrous. Anthers 3; 3 mm long; yellow. Ovary glabrous.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.
NOTES Arundineae. Linder 2012.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
