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.

Pentameris longipes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths light brown. Glands raised crateriform. Culms 25–70 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15 cm long; 4 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy adaxially; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins glandular; smooth. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; comprising 100 fertile spikelets.

Panicle open; ovate; 13 cm long; 5 cm wide. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1.5 length of fertile spikelet; eglandular; scaberulous; glabrous, or puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; shiny; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 4.5–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; glandular; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5–5 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; glandular; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2.2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5–9 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate. Lemma surface villous; hairy at base. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 7 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on inner edge of lobes; 1.5–2 mm long; equalling glumes; shorter than principal. Palea surface pubescent; hairy above.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; glabrous. Anthers 3; 1.6 mm long; anther tip apiculate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. Linder.

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