Danthoniopsis chimanimaniensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 20–40 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins entire.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 6–15 cm long.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.6 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; pallid, or purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; pallid, or purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 4.5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; with a transverse row of hair tufts; bearing 8 hair tufts in all. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 12–18 mm long overall; with twisted column; persistent. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 1–2 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened; winged; narrowly winged.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Arundinelleae. FZ.

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