Craspedorhachis africana

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 50–100 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–10; digitate; unilateral; 6–17 cm long. Rhachis flattened.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3.5–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of upper glume; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3.5–4 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; coriaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.5–2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea hyaline. Palea keels ciliolate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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