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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Pennisetum monostigma

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 7–35 cm long; 3–8(–10) mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pubescent above.

Panicle spiciform; linear; straight, or curved; 5–10 cm long; 0.6–0.9 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis (0.5–1mm). Panicle axis with rounded ribs; pilose; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; oblong; 5–7 mm long; base obtuse. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; 20–40 in principal whorl; with longest bristle scarcely emergent, or with one conspicuously longer bristle; 6–12 mm long; terete; flexible; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–1.5 mm long; 0.1–0.25 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1–2 mm long; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; scaberulous; rough above; obtuse, or acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4–6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate. Palea membranous.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long; anther tip smooth.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA.

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