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Descriptions

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

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

Helictotrichon roggeveldense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms slender; 25–28 cm long; 1–2 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths ribbed. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5–2 mm long, or 8 mm long; erose, or lacerate. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 8–18 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex hooded.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 15–18 fertile spikelets.

Panicle contracted; elliptic; 5–6 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous; with insignificant pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels unequal; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 10–17 mm long; 2.5–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 2.5–3 mm long; pilose; hairy above; with 4–6.5 mm long hairs. Floret callus 1 mm long; bearded. Floret callus hairs 3–6 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 5–11 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–17 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 10–17 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 5–7 mm long; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 12–25 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 3–5 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea apex emarginate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.7–2.6 mm long; yellow.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Aveneae. Mashau et al 2012.

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