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.

Ehrharta ottonis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms 60–120 cm long; swollen at the base; forming an elongated corm. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades erect; convolute; 30–60 cm long; 2–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 10–25 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 5–6 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 6–7 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 0.9 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; prominently veined; smooth; obtuse; mucronate. Lemma of upper sterile floret elliptic; 8–9.5 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of lower sterile floret; cartilaginous; rugose throughout; obtuse; mucronate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 7.5–9.5 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex truncate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Ehrharteae. Gr S Afr 1999.

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