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| Synonyms: |
Andropogon friesii Pilg. Sorghastrum friesii (Pilg.) Pilg. Sorghum friesii (Pilg.) C.E. Hubb. Sorghum micratherum Stapf Sorghum nutans var. angolense Rendle |
| Common names: | Fries grass (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | |
| Description: |
Caespitose, shortly rhizomatous perennial up to 120 cm high, often rooting from the lower nodes; culms with velvety-pubescent hairs; leaf sheaths without auricles, glabrous; ligule a glabrous membrane 0.5–1.5 mm long; leaf laminas up to 20 cm × 2–6 mm, linear to linear-lanceolate, usually reflexed, glabrous, expanded at the base. Panicle loose and open with divided primary branches; racemes (2)4–7-jointed, the internodes and pedicels pilose. Sessile spikelet 5–7(8) mm long, lanceolate; callus obtuse, barbate; inferior glume chartaceous, pilose on the back, slightly depressed longitudinally; superior glume chartaceous, glabrous; inferior floret empty, represented by a lemma only, this c. 5 mm long, ovate, hyaline, finely 2-nerved, ciliate on the margins above, emarginate at the apex; upper floret bisexual, epaleate, the lemma c. 4 mm long, bilobed at the apex, the lobes glabrous, awned between the lobes; awn 3–8(10) mm long, straight, glabrous; anthers 4–5 mm long. Pedicelled spikelet absent; pedicel c. 5 mm long, shorter than the sessile spikelet. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Typically favours wet areas such as swamps, road drains and stream banks; often on poor sandy soils |
| Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1400 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,S |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 33. As Sorghastrum friesii Cope, T.A. (2002). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(4) Page 30. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 484. (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 110. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 186 - 187. As Sorghastrum friesii (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2000). Notes on the grass subtribe Sorghinae (Poaceae: Andropogoneae) in the Flora Zambesiaca area Kirkia 17(2) Page 137. As Sorghastrum friesii Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 145. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 192. as Sorghastrum friesii |
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