Poaceae
Agrostis

Agrostis trachyphylla Pilg.

First published in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 9: 512 (1926)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. DR Congo to E. Tropical Africa. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit
Densely tufted perennial; culms 6–50 cm. high, erect.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades involute, filiform, up to 15 cm. long, stiff, densely scaberulous, without striations on the underside (due to a continuous layer of sclerenchyma beneath the epidermis).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicle linear, contracted, 3–15 cm. long, dense, the branches scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets lanceolate, 3–4.5 mm. long, purple; glumes persistent, lanceolate, 3-nerved, asperulous, acute; lemma ovate-oblong, 2.5–3 mm. long, finely pubescent, 5-nerved, 4-denticulate with the outer nerves excurrent into brief mucros, awned from near the base; awn geniculate, ± 3 mm. long; palea as long as the lemma; rhachilla-extension 0.2 mm. long, obscure.
Habitat
Moist ground in upland grassland and moor; 3500–4900 m.
Distribution
K4 T2 U2
[FTEA]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 6-50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5-15 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade venation with continuous uniform subepidermal sclerenchyma layer on the underside. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 3-15 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3-4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3-4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 3-4.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 3-4.5 mm long; 1.2-1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5-3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 4 -fid; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.1 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 3 mm long overall; with twisted column. Palea 1 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension 0.05-0.1 length of fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear. Endosperm farinose.
Distribution
Africa: west-central tropical and east tropical.
Reference
Aveneae. FTEA.
[GB]

Sources

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0