Hyparrhenia gazensis (Rendle) Stapf

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

Morphology General Habit

Loosely caespitose perennial; culms up to 180 cm high and up to 2 mm in diameter, weakly erect or geniculately ascending, sometimes sprawling.

Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths

Leaf sheaths glabrous, or pubescent above; leaf laminas 8–20 cm × 2–5 mm, glabrous or thinly pilose, long-acuminate at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

False panicle 10–35 cm long, narrow, lax; spatheoles 3–4 cm long, linear-lanceolate, glabrous, reddish-brown; peduncles 1/2–3/4 as long as the spatheoles, pilose above with white hairs; racemes 1–1.5 cm long, 4–5-awned per pair, laterally exserted, not or sometimes tardily deflexed; raceme-bases unequal, divergent, the superior (2)2.5–3.5 mm long, terete, stiffly pilose with white bulbous-based hairs, the articulation with the peduncle glabrous.

Homogamous

Homogamous spikelets c. 5 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, a single pair at the base of the inferior or both racemes.

Sessile

Sessile spikelets 4.5–5 mm long; callus 0.8–1.5 mm long, cuneate, acute at the apex; inferior glume linear-oblong to lanceolate-oblong, sparsely hispidulous; awn 2–3 cm long, the column pubescent with fulvous hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelets 5–6 mm long, linear-lanceolate, glabrous, terminating in a short mucro 1–2 mm long; callus absent; pedicel-tooth short, broadly triangular. Sessile spikelets 4.5–5 mm long; callus 0.8–1.5 mm long, cuneate, acute at the apex; inferior glume linear-oblong to lanceolate-oblong, sparsely hispidulous; awn 2–3 cm long, the column pubescent with fulvous hairs. Homogamous spikelets c. 5 mm long, narrowly lanceolate, a single pair at the base of the inferior or both racemes.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelets 5–6 mm long, linear-lanceolate, glabrous, terminating in a short mucro 1–2 mm long; callus absent; pedicel-tooth short, broadly triangular.

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

Morphology General Habit

Loosely tufted perennial; culms slender, 50–180 cm. high and up to 2 mm. diameter, weakly erect or geniculately ascending, sometimes sprawling.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades 8–20 cm. long, 2–5 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

False panicle 10–35 cm. long, narrow, loose; spatheoles linear-lanceolate, 3–4 cm. long, the peduncles 1/2–3/4 as long; racemes 1–1.5 cm. long, 4–5-awned per pair, not deflexed; raceme-bases unequal, divergent, the upper (2–)2.5–3.5 mm. long, stiffly pilose with white hairs. Homogamous pairs 1 at the base of the lower or both racemes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Sessile spikelet 4.5–5 mm. long, sparsely hispidulous; callus cuneate, 0.8–1.5 mm. long; awn 2–3 cm. long, fulvously pubescent. Pedicelled spikelet with a short mucro 1–2 mm. long.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet 4.5–5 mm. long, sparsely hispidulous; callus cuneate, 0.8–1.5 mm. long; awn 2–3 cm. long, fulvously pubescent.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet with a short mucro 1–2 mm. long.

Habitat

A ruderal on poor soils, following cultivation and along roadsides; 700–1600 m.

Distribution

K4 T6 T7 T8 U1 U3 U4

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 50-180 cm long; 1-2 mm diam. Leaves cauline. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-1 mm long. Leaf-blades 8-20 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Synflorescence compound; paniculate; 10-35 cm long. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole linear, or lanceolate; 3-4 cm long; membranous. Peduncle 1-3.5 cm long; pilose above. Racemes 2; paired; ascending; 1-1.5 cm long; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2-3 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs white. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip oblique; flat. Raceme-bases filiform; unequal (the longer measured); (2-)2.5-3.5 mm long; pilose. Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; flattened; ciliate; tip oblique.

Sterile

Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2 in number (lower raceme); 0 in upper raceme, or 2 in upper raceme; lanceolate; 5 mm long; equalling fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes smooth on margins; lower glume muticous. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5-6 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; acute; mucronate, or awned; one glume awned; with 1-2 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 4.5-5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 0.8-1.5 mm long; pubescent; base acute; attached obliquely. Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 2 in number (lower raceme); 0 in upper raceme, or 2 in upper raceme; lanceolate; 5 mm long; equalling fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes smooth on margins; lower glume muticous. Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; containing empty lemmas, or male; lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5-6 mm long; as long as fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; glabrous; acute; mucronate, or awned; one glume awned; with 1-2 mm long awn. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 4.5-5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus cuneate; 0.8-1.5 mm long; pubescent; base acute; attached obliquely.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels; keel-less except near apex. Lower glume surface hispidulous. Lower glume hairs red. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid. Upper glume linear; coriaceous; without keels.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of fertile lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Fertile lemma linear; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; geniculate; 20-30 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn pubescent (fulvously). Palea absent or minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

Distribution

Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

Reference

Andropogoneae. WDC.