Hyparrhenia anemopaegma Clayton

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

Morphology General Habit

Slender annual; culms up to 90 cm high, erect.

Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths

Leaf sheaths glabrous; leaf laminas up to 25 cm × 9 mm, dull green.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

False panicle scanty, comprising 3–10 raceme-pairs in 3 or 4 distant tiers; spatheoles 9–14 cm long, linear, green or tinged with red; peduncles 2/3–3/4 as long as the spatheoles, densely barbate with pale yellow hairs near the apex; racemes c. 2 cm long, 4–6-awned per pair, deflexed; racemes-bases subequal, the superior not much longer than the inferior, flattened, glabrous, with a shallowly lobed scarious rim at the apex.

Homogamous

Homogamous spikelets 11–16 mm long, a single pair at the base of each raceme, shortly pilose with white hairs on the back, pectinate-ciliate on the margins.

Sessile

Sessile spikelets c. 9 mm long; callus 2.5–3 mm long, pungent; inferior glume lanceolate, pubescent; awns 7.5–11 cm long, the column fulvously pilose with hairs up to 1.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelets 10–11 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, pilose with white hairs on the back, pectinate-ciliate on the margins, terminating in a slender bristle 11–22 mm long; callus c. 0.5 mm long, oblong; pedicel-tooth short, triangular. Sessile spikelets c. 9 mm long; callus 2.5–3 mm long, pungent; inferior glume lanceolate, pubescent; awns 7.5–11 cm long, the column fulvously pilose with hairs up to 1.5 mm long. Homogamous spikelets 11–16 mm long, a single pair at the base of each raceme, shortly pilose with white hairs on the back, pectinate-ciliate on the margins.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelets 10–11 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, pilose with white hairs on the back, pectinate-ciliate on the margins, terminating in a slender bristle 11–22 mm long; callus c. 0.5 mm long, oblong; pedicel-tooth short, triangular.

Morphology General Habit

Annual. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; slender; 90 cm long. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5-15 cm long; 1-2 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Synflorescence compound; scanty. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Spatheole linear; 9-14 cm long; membranous. Peduncle nodding; 6-10 cm long; pilose above (yellow hairs). Racemes 2; paired; deflexed; 2 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2-3 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat. Raceme-bases flattened; subequal; 0.5-1 mm long; glabrous. Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; ciliate; tip oblique.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; on lower raceme 2 in number; 2 in upper raceme; lanceolate; 11-16 mm long; larger than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes pilose; with white hairs; setose on margins (pectinately); lower glume muticous. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 10-11 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus oblong; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; pilose; setose on margins; acute; awned; one glume awned; with 11-27 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; dorsally compressed; 9 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 2.5-3 mm long; pubescent; base pungent; attached obliquely.

Sterile

Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; on lower raceme 2 in number; 2 in upper raceme; lanceolate; 11-16 mm long; larger than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes pilose; with white hairs; setose on margins (pectinately); lower glume muticous. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 10-11 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus oblong; 0.5 mm long; truncate. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; pilose; setose on margins; acute; awned; one glume awned; with 11-27 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; dorsally compressed; 9 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 2.5-3 mm long; pubescent; base pungent; attached obliquely.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; keel-less except near apex. Lower glume surface hispidulous, or villous; hairy generally, or on veins. Lower glume hairs dark brown. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume linear; coriaceous; without keels.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of fertile lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma linear; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 90-110 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn hirtellous; with 1-1.5 mm long hairs. Palea absent or minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

Distribution

Africa: southern tropical.

Reference

Andropogoneae. WDC.