Habrochloa bullockii

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–25 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–7 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins unthickened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 2–7 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1–1.3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; curved; 4–6 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; linear; trigonous. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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