GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora





HABIT Annual. Culms prostrate; 10–67.5–200 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliate membrane.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes single (1), or digitate (1); ascending (1), or drooping (1). Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip transverse. Raceme-bases brief (1), or filiform (1); unequal (the longer measured) (1/1).

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; with a translucent median line (also present in internodes).

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; separately deciduous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–3.625–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; chartaceous (1), or coriaceous (1); without keels; wingless (1), or winged on margins (1); 5 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins without ribs (1), or ribbed (1). Lower glume surface flat; without pits; pilose. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous (1), or coriaceous (1); 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 0 -veined. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; wingless; 1 -veined. Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn geniculate. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa (1), or Temperate Asia (1), or Tropical Asia, or North America (1), or South America (1).
