Description:
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Slightly decumbent caespitose perennial; culms c. 90 cm high, unbranched. Leaf sheaths glabrous; ligule a very short (c. 1 mm) minutely fringed membrane; laminas 7–24 cm × 2–9 mm, loosely pilose, flat, tapering to a fine point at the apex. Racemes in terminal pairs, 6–6.5 cm long (up to 10.5 cm outside the Flora Zambesiaca area), cylindrical, clearly exserted from the spatheoles only at maturity; peduncles longer than the racemes; internodes and pedicels slightly clavate, ciliate with hairs up to 3.5 mm long on one margin and a few short hairs on the other (particularly noticeable on the internodes). Spikelets similar; inferior glumes asymmetrically beaked, with two broad (0.5 mm) marginal wings, pubescent; superior glumes awned. Sessile spikelet 11–12 mm long, obtuse at the base, inserted in the internode apex; inferior glume with a shallow median groove, asymmetrically winged, 2-toothed at the apex; superior glume ± flat on the back and with an awn 6–7 mm long; superior lemma bifid in the upper 2/3; awn 23–26 mm long, geniculate; anthers 2.5–3 mm long, straw-coloured. Pedicelled spikelet male, 9–9.5 mm long; inferior glume with an awn c. 6 mm long; superior glume with an awn c. 2 mm long; superior lemma bidentate at the apex. |
| Literature:
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Cope, T.A. (2002). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(4) Page 64. (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 99.
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