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.

Danthoniopsis dinteri

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 50–300 cm long; 3 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 25–50 cm long; 5–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade margins crenate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 25–50 cm long.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 14–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 1 mm long; pubescent; truncate.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 0.33 length of upper glume; chartaceous; pallid, or purple; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; pallid, or purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; caudate. Fertile lemma oblong; 9–12 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; with a transverse row of hair tufts; bearing 6–8 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; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 20–35 mm long overall; with twisted column; deciduous; abscissing from top of lemma. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened; winged; narrowly winged; with clavate appendages on wings. Palea surface papillose.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5–5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Arundinelleae. FZ.

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