Poaceae
Enneapogon

Enneapogon scaber Lehm.

First published in Nov. Stirp. Pug. 3: 41 (1831)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Sahara, Angola to S. Africa, Saudi Arabia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Tufted perennial up to 35 cm high; basal sheaths remaining intact
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicle loosely contracted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Lower glume 7-nerved, 3.7–5.2 mm long; upper glume 5-nerved, 4.5–6.5 mm long; fertile lemma 5–6.5 mm long (including awns), hairy on the back all over; awns scaberulous; anthers 1.3–2.7 mm long; third lemma vestigial, 0.3–0.6 mm long.
Distribution
N1 North Africa, southern Arabia and southern Africa.
Ecology
Altitude c. 300 m.
[FSOM]

Mashau AC. 2017. A new variety of Enneapogon (Poaceae: Chloridoideae: Eragrostideae) from Southern Africa. Kew Bulletin 72: 39. DOI 10.1007/S12225-017-9719-0

Note
Table 1. Differences between Enneapogon scaber var. namibiensis and E. scaber var. scaber.
Character E. scaber var. namibiensis E. scaber var. scaber
Growth form annual perennial
Spikelet length 3 mm long 4 - 6.5 mm long
Habitat rock crevices, gravel plains and dry sandy riverbeds. hillsides among rocks.
Geographical range distributed in Namibia only widespread distribution<
[KBu]

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. Culms 15-35 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pubescent; with capitate hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3-20 cm long; 1-3 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; oblong; 2-7 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5-6.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5-6.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 3.6-5.2 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins ribbed. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4.5-6.5 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 4.5-6.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface villous; inner surface transversely fringed. Lemma apex dentate; 9 -fid; awned; 9 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5 mm long overall; limb glabrous. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; subequal to principal; glabrous. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; oblong; 0.3-0.6 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas dentate; 9 -fid; awned; 9 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 1-1.3 mm long; glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.3-2.7 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
Africa: north, northeast tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia.
Reference
Pappophoreae. TAC.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • 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

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • 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 Bulletin

    • Kew Bulletin
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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