Hyperthelia cornucopiae (Hack.) Clayton

Kew Bull. 20: 439 (1966).- Schweinfurth 2331, Sudan, Djur (holo- W, iso- K,P).

Andropogon cornucopiae Hack. Flora 68: 126 (1885); 

Hyparrhenia conucopiae (Hack.) Stapf, FTA 9: 378 (1918).

Regional litterature: Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: (2015).

Description: 

* Caespitose annual of 2-4.5 m high. Culms erect, 4-9 mm diameter, with prop roots. Leaves linear, 40-80 cm long and 12-25 mm wide, glabrous; ligule an eciliate membrane of 2-5 mm long; sheaths glabrous.

* Inflorescence a spathate panicle of 30-40 cm long composed of terminal and axillary paired racemes; spatheoles lanceolate, 5.5-9 cm long, glabrous; peduncles glabrous or pilose above. Racemes deflexed 1.5-4 cm long with one fertile spikelet each; bases filiform, the upper 1-3 mm long, pilose with a 5-10 mm long appendage; one pair of homogamous spikelets at the base of the lower raceme.

* Sessile spikelet fertile linear, 8-18 mm long; callus cuneate, 2.5-5 mm long, pilose with white or dark brown hairs. Lower glume coriaceous, thinner with a longitudinal median groove, pubescent alove or above with dark brown hairs, tip bifid, mucronate. Upper lemma linear, 4-8 mm long, hyaline, bifid for ¼, with a geniculate awn of 6-15 cm long from the sinus; column twisted, hirtellous. Pedicelled spikelet well-developped, 8-25 mm long; callus 0.5 mm long; glumes coriaceous with an awn of 2-15 mm long and 2 lemmas. Homogamous spikelets well-developped, linear, male, 8-25 mm long, muticous.

Distribution West Africa and world-wide: CAR, Sudan.

%LABEL% (%SOURCE%)