GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Schismus scaberrimus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–30 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 3–15 cm long; 0.2–0.4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 1–5 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–5.5 mm long; falling entire, or breaking up at maturity; deciduous with the pedicel; pedicel base truncate; disarticulating between fertile florets but the lowest falling with glumes attached. Rhachilla internodes 0.6–0.8 mm long. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous with pedicel attached; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 3.5–5 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 1.3–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–3 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; much thinner on margins; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma hairs 0.5–0.9 mm long. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; mucronate. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0.2–0.9 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back (below). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; ciliate. Anthers 3; 0.8–1.2 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1 mm long. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Arundineae. Conert.

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