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.

Zonotriche inamoena

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–150 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 20–60 cm long; 3–11 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear to lanceolate; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches simple. Panicle axis bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Panicle branches capillary; abruptly recurved near tip; villous (towards the tip); bearded in axils.

Spikelets in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 3 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels fused to each other; united wholly; 2–3 mm long; villous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 10–15(–19) mm long; falling entire; deciduous in a cluster with fused pedicels; readily shedding fertile florets; pedicel base hooked. Floret callus evident; 0.5–1 mm long; pilose; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets, or reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–1 length of upper glume; coriaceous; dark brown; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface hispid; hairy on veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume hairs yellow, or dark brown. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 10–15(–19) mm long; chartaceous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 7–8 mm long; chartaceous; 5–9 -veined; glabrous, or hispid; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 5–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or pilose; without hair tufts. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliate. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lanceolate lobes; incised 0.15 of lemma length; acuminate; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; flat below; 9–18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 1–3(–6) mm long; shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3–5 mm long. Ovary pubescent on apex.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; hairy at apex. Hilum linear.

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

NOTES Arundinelleae. FTEA.

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