e-Key <span id="jodit_selection_marker_1710933116613_30951618250251123" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>v3 - Mos<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1710933116613_8947797724103965" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>denia
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Poaceae - Chloridoideae - Cynodonteae - Zoysiinae - Mosdenia Stent

Description:

  • Perennial, stoloniferous
  • Leaf blade expanded, linear to linear-lanceolate; ligule an unfringed membrane
  • Inflorescence a narrow, solitary, dense spike; spikelets solitary, sessile, in irregular whorls or spirals
  • Spikelet subfalcate, falling with glumes; glumes ± equal, ± equalling spikelet, rigidly membranous, very dissimilar, 1-nerved, glabrous, awnless; lower glume subacuminate, scabrid on nerve, slightly longer and broader than upper glume, boat-shaped; upper glume subfalcate, flat on back, slightly gibbous at base
  • Floret 1, bisexual; lemma less firm than glumes, delicately hyaline, lanceolate-ovate, 1-3-nerved, glabrous, acuminate, acute, awnless; palea ± as long as lemma, minutely bilobed, faintly 2-nerved
  • Lodicules 2, truncate
  • Stamens 3
  • Ovary ovoid, glabrous; style short, distinct, plumose
  • x = 10 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • Mosdenia Stent
    • Stent: 170 (1922)
    • Stent: 256 (1924)
    • Chippindall: 108 (1955)
    • Clayton & Renvoize: 255 (1986)
    • Gibbs Russell et al.: 223 (1990)
    • Watson & Dallwitz: 625 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Southern Africa: Species 1: Mosdenia leptostachys (Ficalho & Hiern) Clayton, northern provinces of South Africa

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
  • 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
  • STENT, S.M. 1922. South African Gramineae. A new genus and seven new species. Bothalia 1
  • STENT, S.M. 1924. South African Gramineae. Grasses of the Transvaal as represented in the National Herbarium. Bothalia 1
  • WATSON, L. & DALLWITZ, M.J. 1994. The grass genera of the world, revised edn. CAB International, Oxon

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