Eccoptocarpha obconiciventris

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 40–75 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–10 cm long; 3–9 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–7 cm long. Rhachis semiterete; setose on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 1 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; setose.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 3.2–3.8 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated below proximal fertile floret. Rhachilla elongation sinuous but straightening at maturity to extrude floret.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 0.7–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic; chartaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins with cross-veins. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; with cross-veins; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; 2 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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