Dichanthium foveolatum (Delile) Roberty

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

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial with silky-hairy basal sheaths and bearded nodes, the stems wiry, up to 80 cm high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of solitary racemes, each subtended by a narrow spatheole, these terminal and loosely aggregated; racemes 1.5–4.5 cm long, with 0–1 smaller homogamous spikelet-pairs at the base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet as long as the sessile, with or without a pit. Sessile spikelet narrowly elliptic, 2.5–4 mm long; lower glume cartilaginous, glabrous, shining, with a circular depression in the upper third, acute; upper lemma with an awn 12–18 mm long

Distribution

N1–3; C1, 2; S1–3 Mali and North Africa eastwards through Arabia to India and Sri Lanka.

Ecology

Altitude range 0–2000 m.

Vernacular

Aus goron, aus koksar, dalan, laah, saren (Somali)

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms geniculately ascending; 15-80 cm long; wiry. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 1-15 cm long; 1-3 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole linear; 3.5-5 cm long; herbaceous. Peduncle pubescent above. Racemes 1; single; 1.5-4.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes filiform. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; without a translucent median line; ciliate.

Sterile

Basal sterile spikelets absent, or well-developed; 0-2 in number; barren, or male; smaller than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet lemmas awnless. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; oblong; as long as fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes without depressions, or pitted. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes; muticous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.5-4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached obliquely. Spikelet callus hairs 0.5 length of spikelet. Basal sterile spikelets absent, or well-developed; 0-2 in number; barren, or male; smaller than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet lemmas awnless. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas; oblong; as long as fertile; persistent. Companion sterile spikelet glumes without depressions, or pitted. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas enclosed by glumes; muticous.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.5-4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached obliquely. Spikelet callus hairs 0.5 length of spikelet.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels. Lower glume surface concave; pitted; glabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 2 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; ciliolate on margins. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical, or from a sinus; geniculate; 12-18 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn glabrous. Palea absent or minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3.

Distribution

Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, northeast tropical, and east tropical. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

Reference

Andropogoneae. FTEA.

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

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial with silky hairy basal sheaths; culms ascending, 15–80 cm. high, wiry.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades very narrow, 1–15 cm. long, 1–3 mm. wide, flat, or rolled, green or glaucous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a solitary raceme subtended by a narrow spatheole, these loosely aggregated on the culms; raceme 1.5–4.5 cm. long, with 0–1 smaller homo-gamous pairs of spikelets at the base.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet narrowly elliptic, 2.5–4 mm. long; lower glume cartilaginous, glabrous, shining, with a circular depression in the upper third, acute; upper lemma entire or minutely bidentate, its awn 12–18 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet with or without a pit. Sessile spikelet narrowly elliptic, 2.5–4 mm. long; lower glume cartilaginous, glabrous, shining, with a circular depression in the upper third, acute; upper lemma entire or minutely bidentate, its awn 12–18 mm. long.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet with or without a pit.

Figures

Fig. 167.

Habitat

Local patches in deciduous bushland or subdesert grassland; 0–800 m.

Distribution

K1 K4 K7 T6 T8 N. Africa and Mali, eastwards through the Middle East and Somalia to India and Sri Lanka

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit

Densely tufted perennial up to 60 cm. high, with wiry culms

Morphology Leaves

Glaucous leaf-blades.