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 ramosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; slender; 30–50 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 7–15 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–10 cm long; 0.5–1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple; 2–4 cm long. Panicle axis smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels unequal; 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; 6–8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; bearded; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 2 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4–6 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; yellow, or purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 6–8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; yellow, or purple; 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; oblong, or ovate; 6–8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret winged on keels; pubescent; adorned on keels. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface without hair tufts. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with triangular lobes; with lobes 2–2.5 mm long; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 5–10 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 3–4 mm long. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate; thickened; winged; narrowly winged.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong, or ovoid; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundinelleae. FTA.

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