Description:
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An annual with loosely caespitose or solitary culms. Culms 15–60 cm., erect or ascending, glabrous, nodes dark, glabrous. Leaf sheaths glabrous to loosely hairy. Ligule 0.5–1.5 mm. long, rim-like, conspicuously ciliate. Leaf laminae (2)5–10 × 0.1–0.6 cm., linear, flat or sometimes involute, scaberulous on both sides, densely hairy near the ligule, scabrous along the margin. Inflorescence composed of 2–4(6) racemes, 4–14(20) cm. long, solitary along a short common axis. Rhachis triquetrous, winged, up to 0.7 mm. broad, smooth, with scabrous margins. Pedicels 3–4-nate, 0.2–2.5 mm. long, terete to subtriangular, scaberulous, much broadened at the apex, without coronula. Spikelets 2.0–2.9 mm. long, oblong-lanceolate. Inferior glume very short, bilobed, nerveless and hyaline. Superior glume c. 2/3 of the spikelet, oblong-triangular, 3(5)-nerved, hyaline, appressed hairy, hairs capitate apiculate. Inferior lemma as long as the spikelet, oblong-lanceolate with recurved margins, centrally sulcate, 5(7)-nerved, hyaline, basally and apically appressed hairy, sometimes with conspicuous lateral swellings and bristlen hairs. Superior lemma as long as the spikelet, oblong-lanceolate, apiculate, dark brown. |
| Literature:
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Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 144 - 145. (Includes a picture).
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 102.
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