Odontelytrum

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 20–40 cm long; spongy; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule an eciliate membrane.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle spiciform. Panicle axis bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; united into a herbaceous lobed scale. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; flattened; rigid; obtuse.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 10–14 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure, or two; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Upper glume ovate; 0.4–0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; herbaceous; 9 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; cartilaginous; much thinner above; without keel; wingless; 7 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3. Stigmas 1.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; dorsally compressed.

DISTRIBUTION Africa, or Temperate Asia.

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