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.

Dilophotriche

HABIT Annual (1), or perennial (2). Culms erect (1/1); 30–66.66–120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open.

Spikelets in pairs (1), or in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster (1), or 3 in the cluster; subequal. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4.15–7.358–12 mm long; falling entire (1), or breaking up at maturity (2); deciduous with the pedicel (1/1); disarticulating below each fertile floret (2/2). Floret callus evident (1), or elongated (2); pubescent (2), or pilose (1); truncate.

GLUMES Glumes persistent (2/2); reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface without pits; hispid (2), or setose (1). Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous (1), or hispid (2); with simple hairs (1), or tubercle-based hairs (2). Upper glume apex acute (1), or acuminate (2).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate, or elliptic (1), or oblong (1); chartaceous; 3 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or oblong (2); coriaceous; without keel; wingless; 5 -veined (2), or 6 -veined (1), or 7 -veined (2). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves; pubescent; with a transverse row of hair tufts. Lemma margins involute; interlocking with palea keels. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; incised 0.25 of lemma length; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate. Lateral lemma awns shorter than principal. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate (2), or contiguous above a sulcus (1); unthickened (2), or thickened (1); wingless (2), or winged (1).

FLOWER Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous (1/1).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid (1/1). Hilum linear (1/1).

DISTRIBUTION Africa.

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