Poaceae
Elionurus

Elionurus hirtifolius Hack.

First published in A.L.P.P.de Candolle & A.C.P.de Candolle, Monogr. Phan. 6: 341 (1889)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. Tropical Africa to Sudan. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent, or villous; persistent and investing base of culm. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 30-60 cm long; 3-4 -noded. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 5-10 cm long; 2-3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous; rough abaxially; glabrous, or hirsute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; exserted. Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; 3.5-6.5 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; villous on surface. Rhachis hairs 3-4 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 3-4 mm long. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat; with simple rim. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; villous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5-6 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; 4-5 -veined; ciliate on margins; acuminate; awned; one glume awned, or both glumes awned; with 3-5 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes. Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 6-7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; pubescent; base obtuse; attached obliquely.
Sterile
Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5-6 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; keeled; 4-5 -veined; ciliate on margins; acuminate; awned; one glume awned, or both glumes awned; with 3-5 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 lanceolate, or ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 6-7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; pubescent; base obtuse; attached obliquely.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 2-keeled; 6 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous; with marginal tufts of hair. Lower glume apex entire, or lobed; 2 -fid; setaceously attenuate; awned; 2 -awned. Lower glume awn 1-3 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliolate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; 3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea absent or minute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 3-4 mm long.
Distribution
Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, and northeast tropical.
Reference
Andropogoneae. FTA.
[GB]

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

Morphology General Habit
Tufted perennial, 30–60 cm. high.
[FWTA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical 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 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 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 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0