Merxmuellera tsaratananensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short. Culms 60–80 cm long. Culm-internodes striate; smooth; distally glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 40 cm long; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; interrupted; 10–15 cm long; 2–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 5–6 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–4 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 10–12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 7 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8 mm long; 1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 6.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight; 4–4.5 mm long overall. Palea 5 mm long; hyaline; 2-keeled. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Arundineae. Camus 2005.

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