Entolasia imbricata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths pilose. Culms erect; 60–150 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear; 7–50 cm long; 2–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 2–7 cm long; simple (or the lower branched). Central inflorescence axis 10–45 cm long. Rhachis angular; scaberulous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; flattened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4.5–6.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.3–0.7 mm long; 0.1 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5–6.5 mm long; membranous; yellow to mid-green; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 4 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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