Prionanthium

Desv.
Source: 
SSA
Description: 
Annual, tufted. Leaf blade tapering to a rounded apex; ligule a fringed membrane. Inflorescence a solitary, terminal, spike-like panicle, raceme or spike, sometimes inconspicuously 1-sided; spikelets solitary or paired, sometimes mixed on same inflorescence, sessile or subsessile or pedicelled, sometimes pairs unequally pedicelled. Spikelet laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes +/- equal, as long as spikelet, similar, coriaceous with broad membranous margins, +/- boat-shaped, rounded at apex, slightly asymmetrical, keeled, keel usually with prominent stalked glands, 5-8-nerved, awnless. Florets 2, bisexual; lemma lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, less firm than glumes, hyaline, 3-5-nerved, hairy or glabrous, awnless or mucronate; palea well developed, slightly shorter than lemma, narrow, sublinear, back and wings hyaline, 2-nerved, 2-keeled, keels prominent, thickened, hairy or glabrous. Lodicules 2, cuneate, glabrous, shallowly 1-3-lobed, minute, fleshy. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous; styles free, stigmas plumose, laterally exserted. Caryopsis narrowly obovoid. x= 7.
Distribution: 
Species 3, Western Cape, rare.
Classification: 

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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith