Puelia ciliata

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short; pachymorph; knotty. Culms erect; 30–70 cm long; firm. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves cauline; 4–14 per branch. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Collar with external ligule. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath. Leaf-blades elliptic; 9–20 cm long; 20–35 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; bracteate at branch bases.

Panicle contracted; elliptic; secund; 1.5–3.5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–6 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 9–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus subtended by a fleshy frill.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 9–11 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 9–11 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; male; with palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 5–6 mm long; chartaceous; 11 -veined; ciliolate on margins; acute. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma elliptic; 9 mm long; coriaceous (softly); pallid; without keel; 11 -veined. Lemma apex truncate. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules 3; oblanceolate; membranous. Anthers 6. Filaments united in a tube. Stigmas 3; papillose. Styles connate below. Ovary umbonate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Atractocarpeae. WDC.

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