Cladoraphis spinosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 20–45 cm long; woody. Leaves with blades commonly suppressed, transferring photosynthetic function to sheath and culm. Leaf-sheaths inflated. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades triangular, or linear; flat; 0–10 cm long; 0–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; deflexed, or spreading; linear; unilateral; 0.5–4 cm long; simple, or secondarily branched. Central inflorescence axis 5–35 cm long; woody; tip spinose. Rhachis flattened (woody); terminating in a barren extension; extension subulate (spinose). Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets deflexed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.8 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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