Willkommia annua

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Stolons present. Culms 30–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1–3 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.5–2.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–5 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; pungent.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.3 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein conspicuous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 4–5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–1 mm long overall.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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