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Synonyms: |
Sporobolus festivus var. stuppeus Stapf Sporobolus stuppeus (Stapf) Stent |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Densely caespitose perennial without rhizomes or stolons; culms up to 40(55) cm tall, erect, unbranched; basal leaf sheaths chartaceous, tomentose on the margins with curly yellow or brown hairs, terete, decaying with age into a compact mass of fine fibres, the woolly hairs retained within; leaf laminas 3–15 cm long, involute-filiform, smooth or scaberulous on the surface, scabrid on the margins. Panicle 3–15 cm long, ovate and diffuse or rarely linear and somewhat condensed; primary branches not in whorls, capillary, tinged with red, smooth or scaberulous, eglandular, the spikelets evenly distributed. Spikelets (1.2)1.4–2.1 mm long, greyish-green or sometimes dark greenish-purple or olive; inferior glume 1/3–2/3 the length of the spikelet, narrowly ovate to oblong, nerveless, glabrous or minutely hispidulous, acute to acuminate or obtuse-denticulate at the apex; superior glume 1/2–2/3(4/5) the length of the spikelet, narrowly ovate, 1-nerved, glabrous or minutely hispidulous, acute at the apex; lemma as long as the spikelet, narrowly ovate, acute; anthers 3, 0.8–1.2 mm long. Grain 0.5–0.7 mm long, obovate, truncate. Early-flowering (December) |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | stapfiana: after Dr. Otto Stapf (1857-1933), Austrian-born British botanist, taxonomist and author of many plant taxa. He was Curator at the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Fellow of the Linnean Society and the Royal Society. |
Habitat: | Often in shallow soil over rock; also in miombo and mixed deciduous woodland in bare ground, often associated with Microchloa kunthii. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 100 - 1700 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in Tropical Africa and South Africa; also Madagascar and Yemen. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 365. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 52. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 34. Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Page 191. Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 62. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 110. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 146. |
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