Poaceae
Enneapogon

Enneapogon scoparius Stapf

First published in W.H.Harvey & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Cap. 7: 656 (1900)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Tropical & S. Africa, NE. Tropical Africa to Arabian Peninsula. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

Gramineae, E. Launert. Flora Zambesiaca 10:1. 1971

Morphology General Habit
A perennial, with a short horizontal rhizome, usually inconspicuously pubescent all over, often appearing glabrous.
Morphology Culms
Culm 20-80 cm. tall, few-6-noded, very slender, wiry, arising from a bulbous base, usually branched a few cm. above the base, usually erect, rarely geniculately ascending.
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Leaf-sheaths rather tight, finely striate, the lowermost long-persistent.
Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina
Leaf-laminae 5-20(25) x 0·1-0·3 cm., almost always convolute, filiform, very rarely expanded, tapering to a fine point, somewhat rigid, obliquely ascending to erect, usually smooth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicle 1.5-12 cm. long, dense, spike-like, compact, rarely interrupted, light to dark grey.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 3.5-4.5 mm. long, 3-flowered, crowded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes slightly unequal, scattered-pilose, subacute; the inferior 2.5-5 mm. long, 3-7-nerved, ovate; the superior 3.4-7 mm. long, 3-6-nerved, oblong.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma
Fertile lemma (the inferior) c. 2 mm. long (excluding the awns), dorsally villous; awns 2-3.5 mm. long, plumose beyond the middle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers (0.8)1.2-2.2 mm. long.
[FZ]

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. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20-80 cm long; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades erect, or ascending; filiform; convolute; 5-20(-25) cm long; 1-3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pilose; with capitate hairs. Leaf-blade apex filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; oblong; 1.5-12 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; 3.5-4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5-4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.5-5 mm long; 0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; grey; without keels; 3-7 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 3.4-7 mm long; 1.5-3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; grey; without keels; 3-6 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma oblong; 2 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 9 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy below. Lemma apex dentate; 9 -fid; awned; 9 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2-3.5 mm long overall; limb ciliate. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; subequal to principal; ciliate. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets 2 in number; dissimilar. First apical floret male; oblong; villous. Apical sterile florets barren; rudimentary. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 9 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns ciliate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; (0.8-)1.2-2.2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Africa: northeast tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia.
Reference
Pappophoreae. FZ.
[GB]

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 80 cm high, with sub-bulbous base
Morphology Stem
Stems wiry, characteristically branched a few cm above the base; basal sheaths remaining intact
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicle densely contracted, spike-like
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Lower glume usually 5-nerved, 2.4–3.1 mm long; upper glume usually 3-nerved, 3–4.6 mm long; fertile lemma 4.4–5.6 mm long (including awns), hairy on the back all over; awns ciliate; anthers 0.8–1.3 mm long; third lemma vestigial, 0.8–1.3 mm long.
Distribution
C2; tropical Africa and southern Arabia (Yemen)
Ecology
Altitude c. 170 m.
Vernacular
Caws mulaax (Somali)
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • 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 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