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| Synonyms: |
Eremochlamys arenaria Peter Eremochlamys littoralis Peter Melinis glabra (Stapf) Hackel Melinis monachne (Trin.) Pilger Melinis trichotoma Mez Panicum gracillimum K. Schum. Panicum madagascariense var. brevispiculum Rendle Panicum madagascariense var. minus Hack. Panicum monachne Trin. Tricholaena arenaria var. semiglabra Hackel Tricholaena delicatula Stapf & Hubbard Tricholaena glabra Stapf Tricholaena monachne var. annua J.G. Anderson Xyochlaena monachne (Trin.) Stapf Xyochlaena monachne var. minus Garab. |
| Common names: | Blue-seed grass (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | |
| Description: |
Tufted annual to short-lived perennial. Culms (13)20–100(114) cm. high, geniculately ascending and often rooting at lower nodes. Panicle (4.7)6–14(18) cm. long, broadly ovate; pedicels glabrous. Spikelets (1.2)1.4–2.5(3) mm. long, oblong to narrowly ovate in side view, green to straw-coloured, often tinged with purple. Inferior glume a tiny nerveless scale 0.1–0.3(rarely 0.7) mm. long, inserted close to the superior; superior glume 5-nerved, broadly ovate, obtuse to emarginate, awnless, sometimes with a short mucro, glabrous or inconspicuously hairy on the margins. Inferior floret male, its lemma 5-nerved, resembling the superior glume but slightly wider; the palea ciliate on its keels. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Sandy places on the seashore, river banks and lake margins; in Brachystegia and Julbernardia woodland, often on anthropogenic sites |
| Altitude range: | Up to 1600 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Madagascar, Mascarene Is., South Africa, Tropical Africa |
| Mozambique distribution: | N,Z,T,MS,GI,M |
| 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. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 56. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 35. Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 113 - 115. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 490. (Includes a picture). Isaiah, A.M. & Komi, T. (2015). Grasses in the Botswana National Botanic Garden South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 33. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 63. 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 111. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 216 - 217. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 147. 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. |
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