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

Poaceae - Arundinoideae - Arundineae - Karroochloa Conert & Türpe

Description :

  • Perennial or annual, tufted, sometimes stoloniferous or rhizomatous
  • Leaf blade narrow, expanded, flat or rolled; ligule a fringe of hairs
  • Inflorescence a dense, contracted panicle; spikelets solitary
  • Spikelet 4.0-7.0 mm long, laterally compressed, acute, disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes ± equal, as long as spikelet, membranous, margins and apices hyaline, glabrous, 3-5(7)-nerved, awnless
  • Florets 3-7; lower florets bisexual; uppermost florets reduced; lemma similar in texture to glumes, membranous, margins and apex hyaline, broadly elliptic or ovate; rounded on back, 9-nerved, scabrid, hairy, hairs in fringes, tufts or in rows, usually across middle of back or margins especially in lower half, 2-lobed, lobes awnless or awned; awn fine, straight; central awn from between lobes, awn as long as to longer than body of lemma, geniculate, twisted in lower part; callus short, blunt, hairy; palea membranous, margins narrowly hyaline, glabrous or shortly pilose, prominently 2-keeled, 2-nerved, nerves ciliate, lower part glabrous or pilose
  • Lodicules 2, cuneate
  • Stamens 3
  • Ovary obovoid, glabrous; styles 2, terminal, short, plumose
  • x = 6 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Karroochloa Conert & Türpe
    • Conert & Türpe: 290 (1969) under Danthonia Stapf
    • Stapf: 516 (1899) under Danthonia Stapf
    • Chippindall: 241 (1955) under Danthonia Stapf
    • Conert: 175 (1965)
    • Launert: 124 (1970)
    • Clayton & Renvoize: 175 (1986) under Rytidosperma Steud.
    • Gibbs Russell et al.: 192 (1990)
    • Watson & Dallwitz: 510 (1994)
  • Danthonia Stapf
    • Stapf: 516 (1899) in part

Distribution & Notes:

  • Southern Africa : Species 4, mainly S Namibia, Free State, Lesotho, 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. 1965. Über den Verwandtschaftskreis der Danthonia curva ( Gramineae , Festucoideae , Danthonieae ). Senckenbergiana Biologica 46
  • CONERT, H.J. & TÜRPE, A.M. 1969. Karroochloa , eine neue Gattung der Gramineen ( Poaceae , Arundinoideae , Danthonieae ). Senckenbergiana Biologica 50
  • 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
  • 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