Andropogon gayanus Kunth

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

Morphology General Habit

Tall tufted perennial up to 2.5 m high; leaves up to 60 cm x 20 mm, often narrowed at the base and falsely petiolate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of paired racemes gathered into a large leafy false panicle; racemes 4–9 cm long; internodes and pedicels cuneate, ciliate on one side only

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Sessile spikelet 5–8 mm long including the c. 1 mm shortly oblong callus; lower glume narrowly oblong, ± flat on the back with many intercarinal nerves and a conspicuous median depression, wingless; upper glume muticous or mucronate; upper lemma deeply bilobed, with an awn 10–30 mm long Pedicelled spikelet 5–8 mm long; lower glume narrowly elliptic with an awn 1–10 mm long (the upper similar).

Distribution

C1; S1 tropical and South Africa.

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

Morphology General Habit

Tall tufted perennial; culms 1.5–2.5 m. high.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades variable, up to 60 cm. long, 4–20 mm. wide, often narrowed to the midrib at the base and sometimes falsely petiolate, commonly with an external ligule (a membranous rim at junction between sheath and blade on the abaxial side).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of paired racemes gathered into a large leafy false panicle; racemes 4–9 cm. long; internodes and pedicels cuneate, ciliate on 1 or both sides, the pedicel ± bilobed at the tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Sessile spikelet 5–8 mm. long, including a shortly oblong callus ± 1 mm. long; lower glume narrowly oblong, ± flat on the back with many nerves between the lateral keels and a conspicuous median groove, glabrous, wingless; upper glume muticous or mucronate; upper lemma deeply bilobed, with an awn 10–30 mm. long. Pedicelled spikelet narrowly elliptic, 5–8 mm. long, the lower (sometimes also the upper) glume bearing an awn 1–10 mm. long.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet 5–8 mm. long, including a shortly oblong callus ± 1 mm. long; lower glume narrowly oblong, ± flat on the back with many nerves between the lateral keels and a conspicuous median groove, glabrous, wingless; upper glume muticous or mucronate; upper lemma deeply bilobed, with an awn 10–30 mm. long.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet narrowly elliptic, 5–8 mm. long, the lower (sometimes also the upper) glume bearing an awn 1–10 mm. long.

Figures

Fig. 180/4, p. 769.

Gramineae, T. A. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:4. 2002

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose perennial; culms up to 350 cm high, erect, branched above, glaucous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf sheaths occasionally woolly below; ligule a very short (c. 2 mm) minutely fringed membrane, the leaves often with small protuberances or a second ligule present abaxially to the ligule; laminas 20–50(80) cm × 4–22 mm, reduced to the midrib and petiole-like at the base, gradually much expanded above, folded or flat, tapering to a fine point at the apex, this often with minute dense white hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes in pairs, 4–10 cm long, clearly exserted from the spatheole, silvery with white hairs; peduncles longer than the racemes; internodes and pedicels clavate, ciliate with hairs c. 4 mm long on both margins, bilobed at the apex, the lobes c. 2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Sessile spikelet 6.5–8.5 mm long; inferior glume with a shallow median groove, glabrous or with short hairs; superior glume convex on the back; superior lemma bifid in the upper 1/4; awn geniculate, 13–32 mm long; anthers 3–5 mm long, straw-coloured. Pedicelled spikelet male, 5–7.5 mm long; inferior glume mucronate or with an awn up to 3.5 mm long.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet 6.5–8.5 mm long; inferior glume with a shallow median groove, glabrous or with short hairs; superior glume convex on the back; superior lemma bifid in the upper 1/4; awn geniculate, 13–32 mm long; anthers 3–5 mm long, straw-coloured.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet male, 5–7.5 mm long; inferior glume mucronate or with an awn up to 3.5 mm long.

Distribution

Elevation range: 1000–1500 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia.

Habit

Herb.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Culms 150-250 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Collar without external ligule, or with external ligule. Leaf-blade base tapering to the midrib; without a false petiole, or with a false petiole. Leaf-blades 30-60 cm long; 4-20 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Synflorescence compound; paniculate; lax. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole. Spatheole lanceolate; 6-8 cm long; herbaceous. Racemes 2; paired; 4-9 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; glabrous on surface; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes cuneate. Rhachis internode tip transverse; crateriform; with simple rim. Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels cuneate; 4-5 mm long; ciliate; tip lobed.

Sterile

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; elliptic; dorsally compressed; 5-8 mm long; as long as fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous, or pubescent, or villous; acute; awned; one glume awned, or both glumes awned; with 1-10 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 5-8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; 1 mm long; pilose; base obtuse; inserted. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; elliptic; dorsally compressed; 5-8 mm long; as long as fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous, or pubescent, or villous; acute; awned; one glume awned, or both glumes awned; with 1-10 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 5-8 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; 1 mm long; pilose; base obtuse; inserted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally. Lower glume intercarinal veins distinct. Lower glume surface flat and with a longitudinal median groove; glabrous. Upper glume lanceolate; chartaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume muticous, or mucronate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 10-30 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous.

Distribution

Africa: Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-tropical: Indo-China. Australasia: Australia. South America: northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

Reference

Andropogoneae. FTEA.

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

carimagua