Themeda triandra Forssk.

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

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial 1·2–1·8 m. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Rusty brown spatheoles

Note

A most important grazing grass in eastern and southern Africa, where it is often a dominant constituent of grasslands.

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

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

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial; culms 30 cm. to 2 m. high, erect.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades flat, up to 30 cm. long or more, and 1–8 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Homogamous pairs arising at about the same level; lower glume narrowly elliptic, 6–14 mm. long, glabrous to tuberculate-hirsute. False panicle up to about 30 cm. long, composed of wedge-shaped clusters of 2–8 racemes enfolded by spatheoles and spathes; spatheole 1.5–3.5 cm. long, russet coloured, glabrous to tuberculate-pilose; raceme containing 1 fertile spikelet.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Sessile spikelet 6–11 mm. long, including a pungent rufously bearded callus 2–4 mm. long; lower glume brown, smooth except for the appressedly pubescent tip; awn 2.5–7 cm. long, puberulous. Pedicelled spikelet 6–14 mm. long, glabrous or tuberculate-pilose; callus 2–3 mm. long.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet 6–11 mm. long, including a pungent rufously bearded callus 2–4 mm. long; lower glume brown, smooth except for the appressedly pubescent tip; awn 2.5–7 cm. long, puberulous.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet 6–14 mm. long, glabrous or tuberculate-pilose; callus 2–3 mm. long.

Figures

Fig. 192.

Habitat

Widespread in open deciduous bushland, and often the dominant species; 0–3200 m.

Distribution

tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8

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

Distribution

Tropical and subtropical Old World.

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial up to 2 m high (but usually much less), erect, slender

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Raceme with 1 fertile spikelet; involucral spikelets narrowly elliptic, 6–14 mm long, glabrous to tuberculate-hairy False panicle up to 30 cm long; spatheole 1.5–3.5 cm long, glabrous to tuberculate-hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Sessile spikelet 6–11 mm long, including the pungent, rufously bearded 2–4 mm long callus; lower glume brown, smooth except for the appressedly pubescent tip; awn 2.5–7 cm long Pedicelled spikelet 6–14 mm long, glabrous or tuberculate-hairy; callus 2–3 mm long.

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

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose perennial; culms up to 200 cm high, erect.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Leaf laminas up to, or exceeding, 30 cm × 1–8 mm, flat.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

False panicle up to c. 30 cm long, composed of wedge-shaped clusters of 2–8 racemes enfolded by spatheoles and spathes; spatheole 1.5–3.5 cm long, russet-coloured, glabrous to tuberculate-pilose; raceme containing 1 fertile spikelet.

Homogamous

Homogamous spikelet pairs arising at about the same level, the internode barely perceptible; inferior glume 6–14 mm long, narrowly elliptic, glabrous to tuberculate-pilose.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet 6–11 mm long (including the pungent rufously barbate callus 2–4 mm long); inferior glume brown, smooth except for the appressed-pubescent apex; awn 2.5–7 cm long, puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet 6–14 mm long, glabrous or tuberculate-pilose; callus 2–3 mm long. Homogamous spikelet pairs arising at about the same level, the internode barely perceptible; inferior glume 6–14 mm long, narrowly elliptic, glabrous to tuberculate-pilose. Sessile spikelet 6–11 mm long (including the pungent rufously barbate callus 2–4 mm long); inferior glume brown, smooth except for the appressed-pubescent apex; awn 2.5–7 cm long, puberulous.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet 6–14 mm long, glabrous or tuberculate-pilose; callus 2–3 mm long.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; robust; 100-250 cm long; 4-10 mm diam.; 6-8 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths loose; keeled; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-7 mm long; obtuse. Leaf-blades 30-60 cm long; 4-10 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Synflorescence compound; fasciculate; 100-150 cm long; open; with principal spatheoles embracing a compact fascicle of racemes, each subtended by a subsidiary bract (4-6 racemes). Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole lanceolate; 4-9 cm long; scarious; without tubercles; pilose. Racemes 1; single; cuneate; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes. Spikelets in threes (basal paired). Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 1 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number; forming an involucre about the fertile; with normal internodes; subsessile; male; lanceolate; 25-40 mm long; larger than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes tuberculate; setose; attenuate; lower glume muticous. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 25-40 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus linear; 3-5 mm long. Companion sterile spikelet glumes herbaceous; pilose; attenuate. Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; pubescent; attached obliquely.

Sterile

Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number; forming an involucre about the fertile; with normal internodes; subsessile; male; lanceolate; 25-40 mm long; larger than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes tuberculate; setose; attenuate; lower glume muticous. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 25-40 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus linear; 3-5 mm long. Companion sterile spikelet glumes herbaceous; pilose; attenuate.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 10 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; pubescent; attached obliquely.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface hirsute. Upper glume oblong; coriaceous; 3 -veined.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; geniculate; 20-40 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent. Palea absent or minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 1; cuneate.

Distribution

Asia-temperate: China.

Reference

Andropogoneae. Chen 2001.