Isachne perrieri

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–35 cm long. Culm-internodes distally hirsute. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 9–10 cm long; 7–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; pilose; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 8–10 cm long; 3–5 cm wide. Panicle axis hirsute. Panicle branches flexuous; hirsute.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.3–0.6 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.8–1.9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.8–1.9 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.7 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1.5 mm long; chartaceous; glabrous. Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 1 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous; 2 -veined.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Isachneae. A. Camus 2001.

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