e-Key v3 - Schismus
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Poaceae - Arundinoideae - Arundineae - Schismus P.Beauv.

Description :

  • Annual or perennial, tufted, stoloniferous
  • Leaf blade expanded or rolled, glabrous; ligule a fringe of hairs
  • Inflorescence a panicle, contracted or spike-like; spikelets solitary, shortly pedicelled
  • Spikelet 4-7 mm long, slightly laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes or falling with glumes; glumes ± equal, shorter than to as long as spikelet, membranous, margins hyaline, 5-7-nerved, glabrous, awnless
  • Florets 4-10, bisexual; upper floret reduced; lemma 1.8-3.0 mm long, similar in texture to glumes, with hyaline margins, 7-9-nerved, glabrous or hairy on back or margins, hairs sometimes in tufts, 2-lobed or minutely notched (emarginate), awnless or mucronate or awned from between lobes; awn short, straight; callus short; palea ± equalling lemma, obovate, 2-keeled, 2-nerved, hyaline, glabrous or sometimes pilose
  • Lodicules 2, ciliate
  • Stamens 3
  • Ovary subglobose, glabrous; styles distinct, plumose above
  • Caryopsis ellipsoid
  • x = 6

Nomenclature:

  • Schismus P.Beauv.
    • Palisot de Beauvois: 73 (1812)
    • Stapf: 692 (1900)
    • Chippindall: 240 (1955)
    • Launert: 165 (1970)
    • Conert & Türpe: 1 (1974)
    • Clayton & Renvoize: 176 (1986)
    • Gibbs Russell et al.: 287 (1990)
    • Watson & Dallwitz: 843 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 5, Africa, Mediterranean region to northwest India
  • Southern Africa : Species 4, Free State, Northern, Western and Eastern Cape

References:

  • CHIPPINDALL, L.K.A. 1955. A guide to the identification of grasses in South Africa. In D. Meredith, The grasses and pastures of South Africa . Central News Agency, Cape Town
  • CLAYTON, W.D. & RENVOIZE S.A. 1986. Genera graminum. Grasses of the world. Kew Bulletin . Additional series 13
  • CONERT, H.J. & TÜRPE, A.M 1974. Revision der Gattung Schismus ( Poaceae : Arundinoideae : Danthonieae ). Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 532
  • GIBBS RUSSELL, G.E., WATSON, L., KOEKEMOER, M., SMOOK, L., BARKER, N.P., ANDERSON, H.M. & DALLWITZ. M.J. 1990. Grasses of southern Africa. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 58
  • LAUNERT, E. 1970. Gramineae . Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 160
  • PALISOT DE BEAUVOIS, A.M.F.J. 1812. Essai d'une nouvelle agrostographie . Fain, Paris
  • STAPF, O. 1898-1900. Gramineae . Flora capensis 7
  • WATSON, L. & DALLWITZ, M.J. 1994. The grass genera of the world , revised edn. CAB International, Oxon