Sacciolepis myosuroides

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–75 cm long. Culm-nodes brown. Leaf-sheaths 5.5–10 cm long; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades 6–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–12 cm long; 0.3–0.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; obtuse; 1.5–1.9 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.8 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; gibbous; 1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; ribbed; glabrous; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1 mm long; coriaceous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; coriaceous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Gilliland 1993.

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