Triraphis purpurea

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 9–37 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3.5–6 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; dense, or loose; 3–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–11(–24) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 2.5–3 mm long overall. Lateral lemma awns arising on margin of lemma; ascending; 2–2.5 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.2–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; trigonous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Chippindall 1992.

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