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 pruinosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Butt sheaths pilose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect, or decumbent; 80–120 cm long; woody. Culm-internodes terete. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 8–15 cm long; 4–11 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blade margins entire. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear to oblong; 10–25 cm long; 1.5–4 cm wide. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.5–5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate to oblong; laterally compressed; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5–0.6 mm long; bearded; truncate. Floret callus hairs 0.3 length of lemma.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3.5–5 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume elliptic to ovate; 4.5–6.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 5–7 mm long; membranous; 3 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma oblong; 6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; with a transverse row of hair tufts; bearing 6 hair tufts in all. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; incised 0.3 of lemma length; acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 8–12 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3–4 mm long. Palea lanceolate; 0.7 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels contiguous above a sulcus; thickened; winged; narrowly winged. Palea surface papillose. Palea apex obtuse.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2–3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; isodiametric; biconvex; sulcate on hilar side. Hilum linear.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Arundinelleae. FTA.

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