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This genus is accepted, and its native range is Sahara to Tanzania and Indo-China.

[FSOM]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; ligule a line of hairs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence comprising numerous racemes on a long central axis, the spikelets densely imbricate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets several-flowered, sessile, falling entire; glumes acute; lemmas keeled, glabrous, acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis ovoid.
Note
One species only.

[GB]

nonem

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 50-100 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades coriaceous; stiff.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes borne along a central axis; in a multilateral false spike; spreading; oblong; unilateral. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded. Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-18 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5-13 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-18 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5-13 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Palea apex entire. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; fleshy; entire; emarginate. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; trigonous. Embryo 0.3-0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Africa, or Temperate Asia, or Tropical Asia.

Native to:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Central African Repu, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gulf States, Hainan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sinai, Socotra, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam, West Himalaya, Yemen

Introduced into:

Cocos (Keeling) Is., Lesser Sunda Is.

Desmostachya (Stapf) Stapf appears in other Kew resources:

First published in W.H.Harvey & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Cap. 7: 632 (1900)

Accepted by

  • Govaerts, R.H.A. (2011). World checklist of selected plant families published update Facilitated by the Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Literature

Flora of Somalia

  • Flora Somalia, Vol 4, (1995) Author: by T. A. Cope [updated by M. Thulin 2008]

Flora of Somalia
Flora of Somalia
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0