Streptolophus sagittifolius

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 100–200 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base sagittate; with a false petiole. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9–10 cm long; 15–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; interrupted (clusters distant); tapering above; 12 cm long; 2–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis angular; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 3–7 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; cuneate; 10–20 mm long; base bluntly stipitate. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; branched; numerous; flattened; rigid; spinose.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.6 mm long; 0.2 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblate; 1 mm long; 0.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; scabrous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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