Poecilostachys muscicola

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 30–35 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades spreading; lanceolate; 1.5–2 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with 8 secondary veins. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate, or attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; spreading; unilateral. Central inflorescence axis 4–5 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 5–6 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 4 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled. Lemma margins convolute; covering most of palea. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea involute; cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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