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| Synonyms: |
Andropogon cymbarius var. lepidus (Nees) Stapf Andropogon cymbarius L. Andropogon intonsus Nees Andropogon lepidus Nees Andropogon lepidus var. intonsus (Nees) Hack. Anthistiria cymbaria (L.) Roxb. Anthistiria latifolia Andersson Cymbopogon cymbarius (L.) Thomson Cymbopogon elegans Spreng. Cymbopogon lepidus (Nees) Chiov. Hyparrhenia formosa sensu Sturgeon, non Stapf. Hyparrhenia gazensis sensu Jackson & Wiehe, non (Rendle) Stapf. Hyparrhenia variabilis sensu Stent & Rattray, non (Stapf). Sorghum cymbarium (L.) Kuntze Sorghum lepidum (Nees) Kuntze |
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| Description: |
Robust caespitose perennial arising from a slender rhizome clad in small cataphylls; culms up to 400 cm high, initially slender and rambling, but subsequently erect and stout (up to 8 mm in diameter) and supported by stilt roots. Leaf sheaths usually glabrous, though often ciliate on the margins and sometimes pubescent at the base; leaf laminas up to 45 cm × 6–20 mm, rigid to subflaccid, dull green, glabrous or hirsute at the base. False panicle typically 20–40 cm long, large, dense, decompound; spatheole 0.8–1.8(2.1) cm long, boat-shaped (narrowly ovate in profile), glabrous, turning bright russet-red at maturity; peduncles 3–8 mm long, 1/3–1/2 the length of the spatheole, barbate above with white or yellowish hairs; racemes 0.7–1.3 cm long, 3–5(6)-awned per pair, partially laterally exserted, deflexed; raceme-bases subequal, very short, the superior up to 0.5 mm long, flattened, stiffly barbate, with or without a scarious frill up to 0.2 mm long at the apex. Homogamous spikelets 4–6(7) mm long, a single pair at the base of the inferior raceme only, glabrous to puberulous on the back, ciliate on the margins. Sessile spikelets 3.8–4.5 mm long; callus 0.2–0.3 mm long, square or broader than long, broadly rounded at the apex; inferior glume oblong-lanceolate, glabrescent to sparsely and shortly pubescent, often becoming purplish; awn 0.5–1.6(2) cm long, rarely almost suppressed, the column pubescent or puberulous with pallid hairs. Pedicelled spikelets 4–5 mm long, glabrous to puberulous on the back, ciliate on the margins, acuminate or sometimes with an awn-point up to 1.5 mm long at the apex; callus scarcely developed; pedicel-tooth obscure. |
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| Worldwide distribution: | Eastern Africa from Eritrea southwards to South Africa, reaching the west coast in the Cameroon area and in northern Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbawe |
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| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 348. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 32. Cope, T.A. (2002). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(4) Pages 114 - 116. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 43. 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 105. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 148. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 85. |
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