Tarigidia aequiglumis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms 80–110 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; closely spaced; in a multilateral false spike; appressed; oblong; unilateral; 0.5–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–12 cm long. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4–4.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume linear; 1 length of upper glume; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or villous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; villous; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 4–4.5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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