Anthephora

HABIT Annual (5), or perennial (6). Rhizomes absent (10), or short (1). Culms erect (6), or geniculately ascending (8), or decumbent (4); 12–59.63–150 cm long; without nodal roots (2/3), or rooting from lower nodes (3/3). Leaf-sheath auricles absent (10), or erect (3). Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades stiff (1), or firm (10). Leaf-blade margins unthickened (1/7), or cartilaginous (6/7).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform. Panicle axis bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 2 in the cluster (1), or 3 in the cluster (3), or 4 in the cluster (7), or 5 in the cluster (5), or 6 in the cluster (6), or 7–8 in the cluster (5), or 9 in the cluster (4), or 10 in the cluster (1). Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 3 in the cluster (3), or 4 in the cluster (8), or 5 in the cluster (5), or 6 in the cluster (6), or 7–8 in the cluster (5), or 9 in the cluster (4), or 10 in the cluster (1). Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets; free throughout (7), or connate into a disc below (2), or connate into a cup below (2).

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by single glumes; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes muticous (9), or awned (5).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate (10), or ovate (1); dorsally compressed; 3–4.659–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet (6), or reaching apex of florets (5); thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume subulate; hyaline (2/2); 1 -veined (2/2).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret linear (1), or lanceolate (3), or oblong (6), or ovate (3); hyaline (1), or membranous (10); 3 -veined (4/9), or 4 -veined (2/9), or 5–6 -veined (5/9), or 7 -veined (6/9), or 8–9 -veined (1/9); obtuse (3), or acute (9), or acuminate (1). Fertile lemma linear (1), or lanceolate (10), or ovate (2); chartaceous (2), or cartilaginous (9); of similar consistency on margins (2), or much thinner on margins (9); without keel; wingless; 3 -veined (8/8), or 4–5 -veined (3/8). Lemma surface smooth (8), or asperulous (2), or scaberulous (1); unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma margins covering most of palea. Lemma apex obtuse (1), or acute (9), or acuminate (2). Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous (2), or cartilaginous (9); 1-keeled.

FLOWER Anthers 3 (10/10).

DISTRIBUTION Africa (10), or Temperate Asia (3), or North America (1), or South America (1).

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.