Poecilostachys bakeri

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 30–45 cm long. Leaf-sheaths 2–3 cm long; pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear; 4–10 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–6; borne along a central axis; 3–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 10–20 cm long. Spikelet packing lax.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of spikelet; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 3–6 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; 5–7 -veined.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; 5–7 -veined. Fertile lemma lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 2003.

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