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Synonyms: |
Enneapogon abyssinicus (Hochst.) Rendle Enneapogon mollis Lehm. Pappophorum abyssinicum Hochst. Pappophorum cenchroides Licht. Pappophorum molle (Lehm.) Kunth Pappophorum robustum Hook. f. |
Common names: | Common nine-awned grass (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
A loosely caespitose annual or rarely shortly lived perennial, densely glandular-pubescent all over. Culms 15-100 cm. tall, 2-5-noded, rather stout, geniculately ascending, seldom erect, sometimes decumbent, simple or branched below. Leaf-sheaths relatively tight, usually slightly shorter than the internodes, striate, smooth or somewhat asperulous towards the mouth. Leaf-laminae 3-25 x (0.1)0.3-0.7(1) cm., linear to lanceolate-linear, long-tapering to a fine point, expanded or convolute (often only towards the apex), rigid to subflaccid, scaberulous on the upper surface and along the margins. Panicle 3-15(20) cm. long, spike-like, usually dense and contracted, rarely somewhat open below, compact, rarely interrupted. Spikelets 3-5 mm. long, usually crowded, 3-flowered. Glumes slightly unequal, light to dark grey or grey-green; the inferior 2.8-4(5.1) mm. long, 5-7-nerved, ovate; the superior 3.2-5.5(6.8) mm. long, 3-nerved, oblong, often with the apex somewhat truncate. Fertile lemma (the inferior) 1.5-2 mm. long (excluding the awn), dorsally shortly villous; awns 3-4.25 mm. long, plumose up to or beyond the middle. Palea 2-2.25 mm. long, with the keels ciliolate. Anthers 0.8-1.8(2.3) mm. long. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | Widely distributed in woodland, open grassland, cultivated and disturbed areas, in dried up streams etc., usually on poor sandy soil, often on rocky hillsides |
Altitude range: (metres) | |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Angola, Ascension Islands, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, south-western Africa, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Arabia to India |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Saturday 16 November 2013 |
Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 15. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 506. (Includes a picture). Isaiah, A.M. & Komi, T. (2015). Grasses in the Botswana National Botanic Garden South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 16. (Includes a picture). Launert, E. (1971). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(1) Pages 146 - 148. (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 103. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 94 - 95. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 136. |
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