Alloteropsis semialata (R.Br.) Hitchc.

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

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial, the basal sheaths silky pubescent to tomentose and often bulbously thickened; culms 20–150 cm. high.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades linear to convolute, 10–50 cm. long, 1–10 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of 2–4(–8) racemes, digitate; racemes 2–22 cm. long, usually with spikelets all along but sometimes bare at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets narrowly ovate, 4–7.5 mm. long; straw-coloured to dark purple or sometimes with dark transverse bars; lower glume 1/2–3/4 as long as the spikelet; upper glume acuminate, membranous, appressed ciliate on the margins, occasionally also with membranous wings; upper lemma with an awn 1.5–3 mm. long, the palea sparsely pubescent with linear or clavellate hairs, rarely glabrous.

Habitat

Seasonal swamps, open deciduous bushland and upland grassland, often on heavy soils; 300–2600 m.

Distribution

K3 K5 T1 T3 T4 T6 T7 T8 U1 U3 U4 Old World tropics

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora Zambesiaca 10:3. 1989

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial, the basal sheaths silky pubescent to tomentose and often bulbously thickened.

Morphology Culms

Culms 20–150 cm. high.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf laminae 1–12 mm. wide, broadly linear to convolute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of 2–4(8) racemes, digitate; racemes 2–25 cm. long, usually with spikelets all along but sometimes bare towards the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 4–7.5 mm. long, sometimes with transverse purple bars.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Superior glume membranous, appressed ciliate on the margins and occasionally expanded laterally into membranous wings, acuminate.

Superior

Superior glume membranous, appressed ciliate on the margins and occasionally expanded laterally into membranous wings, acuminate. Superior lemma with an awn 1.5–3 mm. long, its palea glabrous or sparsely pubescent with turgid hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma

Superior lemma with an awn 1.5–3 mm. long, its palea glabrous or sparsely pubescent with turgid hairs.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; woody. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb (base at times flabellate); pubescent, or woolly. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20-150 cm long. Culm-internodes eglandular; ridged; smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths loose; open for most of their length; with flat margins; 2-15 cm long; longer than adjacent culm internode; wider than blade at the collar; without keel; striately veined; glabrous on surface, or woolly; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a ciliate membrane (ca 0.75mm), or a fringe of hairs. Collar glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blade base tapering to the midrib, or simple (rarely). Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10-50 cm long; 1-10 mm wide; light green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade midrib evident; prominent beneath. Leaf-blade venation distinct. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or hirsute; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or tuberculate-ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 2-4(-8); digitate; unilateral; 2-22 cm long. Rhachis angular; with scattered hairs (rarely), or villous on surface. Spikelet packing irregular. Spikelets solitary (rarely), or in pairs, or clustered at each node. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2-4 in the cluster. Pedicels angular; ciliate, or villous; hairy all along but hairs longer above; tip cupuliform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 4-7.5 mm long; falling entire.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 4-7.5 mm long; falling entire.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5-0.7 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; light green (rarely with transverse purple bands); without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; fenestrate (at base); 5 -veined; truncate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3.5-7 mm long; chartaceous; dark brown; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute; ciliolate. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.5-3 mm long overall. Palea chartaceous. Palea surface smooth; pubescent. Rhachilla extension 0-0.1 length of fertile floret.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2; cuneate. Anthers 2, or 3; 0.3 mm long; brown. Stigmas yellow, or purple. Styles 0.3 mm long. Ovary glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis ovoid; 1.3-1.5 mm long. Disseminule comprising a spikelet.

Distribution

Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern.

Reference

Paniceae. VJN.

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

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial 60–90 cm. high

Morphology Stem

Erect culms

Ecology

In savanna.