Isachne buettneri

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 30–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; 5–17 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–20 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; dorsally compressed; 0.8–1.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes suppressed between florets.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 0.6–1.2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 0.8–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–9 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy above. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 0.6–1.2 mm long; membranous; without keels; 5–9 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy above. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile florets all alike. Fertile lemma orbicular; 0.6–1.2 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; dorsally compressed; plano-convex.

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

NOTES Isachneae. FTEA.

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