Home | > | List of families | > | Poaceae | > | Enteropogon | > | macrostachyus |
Synonyms: |
Chloris macrostachya Hochst. ex A. Rich. Chloris simplex Schumach. Enteropogon simplex (Schumach.) A. Chev. |
Common names: | Mopane grass (English) Needlegrass (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Caespitose perennial with short ascending rhizome; culms up to 90 cm tall; leaf sheaths keeled, glabrous; leaf laminas (6)16–30 cm × 1–7 mm, flat or involute.Raceme 12–19 cm long.Spikelets 3-flowered, the lowermost floret fertile, the other 2 sterile.Glumes lanceolate, the inferior 3–7 mm long, the superior 6–8 mm long; lemma of fertile floret 6.5–7.8 mm long, with an awn 10–14 mm long; 2nd lemma similar to the fertile but smaller, 3.6–5 mm long, with an awn 6–10 mm long; 3rd lemma c. 1 mm long, with an awn 7–8 mm long. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | macrostachyus: large-spiked |
Habitat: | In mopane, miombo and other deciduous woodland, in shade and often on termite mounds. |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in tropical and southern Africa. |
Botswana distribution: | N,SE |
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 24. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 15. Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Pages 216 - 218. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 428. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 38. 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 103. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 100 - 101. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 136. |
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