Annual or perennial (sometimes short-lived), tufted, stoloniferous, mat-forming
Leaf blade
linear, margins usually thickened; ligule a fringe of hairs
Inflorescence
of spike-like main branches widely scattered or closely arranged along central axis; spikelets shortly pedicelled
Spikelet
2-5 mm long, dorsiventrally compressed, disarticulating above glumes, distinct elongated internode between and above glumes, rounded on back; glumes very unequal, slightly longer than spikelet, membranous, obtuse to acute, glabrous or long-ciliate on nerves, awnless; lower glume nerveless; upper glume 1-nerved
Floret
1, bisexual; lemma less firm to similar in texture to glumes, thinly membranous, broadly rounded, entire, acute to obtuse, 3-nerved, hairy, awned; awn minute, straight; callus pungent; palea glabrous or silky-hairy
Lodicules
2, fleshy, glabrous
Stamens
3
Ovary
glabrous
Caryopsis
ellipsoid
Nomenclature:
Willkommia
Hack.
Hackel: 145 (1888)
Launert: 49 (1970) under
Craspedorhachis
Benth.
Clayton & Renvoize: 239 (1986)
Gibbs Russell et al.: 355 (1990)
Watson & Dallwitz: 1007 (1994)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species 4, southern tropical Africa and Texas, United States of America
Southern Africa
: Species 3, mainly N Namibia and Botswana
References:
CLAYTON, W.D. & RENVOIZE S.A. 1986. Genera graminum. Grasses of the world.
Kew Bulletin
. Additional series 13
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
HACKEL, E. 1888.
Willkommia
.
Verhandlungen des botanischen Vereins der Provinz Brandenburg
30
LAUNERT, E. 1970.
Gramineae
.
Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika
160
WATSON, L. & DALLWITZ, M.J. 1994.
The grass genera of the world
, revised edn. CAB International, Oxon
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