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  1. Family: Poaceae Barnhart
    1. Genus: Coelachne R.Br.

      1. Coelachne africana Pilg.

        This species is accepted, and its native range is Cameroon to Ethiopia and S. Tropical Africa, Madagascar.

    [FTEA]

    Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

    Habit
    Mat-forming perennial.
    Culms
    Culms 5–20 cm. high, ascending from a creeping branched base and rooting at the nodes.
    Leaves
    Leaf-blades narrowly lanceolate, 0.6–2 cm. long, 1.5–4.5 mm. wide, flat.
    Inflorescences
    Panicles 1.2–6 cm. long, up to 2.5 cm. wide, the branches up to 2 cm. long, loosely to sparsely spiculate.
    Spikelets
    Spikelets ovate-oblong to oblong, 2–2.5 mm. long, purplish or green; glumes broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, glabrous; lower lemma broadly ovate to ovate-elliptic, ± 2 mm. long, pubescent at the base; upper lemma elliptic to ovate-oblong, up to 2 mm. long, ± pubescent; anthers 2, 0.5–0.9 mm. long.
    Figures
    Fig. 119, p. 437.
    Habitat
    Stream banks and bogs in upland grassland, and on rocks bordering waterfalls; 1040–2400 m.
    Distribution
    K3 K4 K5 T1 T3 T6 T7 U2 U4 Ethiopia to Rhodesia, and Madagascar
    [GB]
    Habit
    Perennial; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 5-20 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 0.6-2 cm long; 1.5-4.5 mm wide.
    Inflorescences
    Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; lanceolate to ovate; 1.2-6 cm long; bearing many spikelets, or few spikelets. Primary panicle branches spreading; simple; 1-2 cm long; bearing 2-5 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
    Spikelets
    Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.6-0.8 mm long.
    Fertile
    Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.6-0.8 mm long.
    Glume
    Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.8 length of upper glume; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1-3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 0.6-0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.
    Florets
    Fertile florets with the lowest dissimilar. Lowest fertile lemma ovate; 1.1 length of adjacent lemma; firmer than adjacent lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5-2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 0-3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent.
    Flowers
    Anthers 2; 0.5-0.9 mm long.
    Fruits
    Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid. Embryo 0.3 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
    Distribution
    Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and western Indian ocean.
    Reference
    Isachneae. FTEA.
    [FZ]

    Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora Zambesiaca 10:3. 1989

    Habit
    Mat-forming perennial.
    Culms
    Culms 5–20 cm. high, ascending from a creeping base and rooting at the nodes.
    Leaf lamina
    Leaf laminae 0.6–2 cm. long, 1.5–4.5 mm. wide, narrowly lanceolate.
    Inflorescences
    Panicle 1.2–6 cm. long, sparse.
    Spikelets
    Spikelets 2–2.5 mm. long, ovate oblong to oblong.
    Lemma
    Lemmas soft, the inferior glabrous except at the base, the superior a little shorter, thinner and ± pubescent.
    Stamens
    Stamens 2.

    Images

    Distribution

    Native to:

    Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

    Coelachne africana Pilg. appears in other Kew resources:

    Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
    Jun 1, 2001 Cheek, M. [8997], Cameroon K000107847
    Jun 1, 2001 Etuge, M. [4030], Cameroon K000107848
    Dec 1, 1934 Stolz [2622], Tanzania K000281000
    Stolz, A. [1221], Tanzania K000280999 isosyntype
    Stolz, A. [1221], Tanzania K000280998 isosyntype
    Peter, A. [9068], Tanzania K000281001
    Bidgood, S. [5229], Tanzania K000190457

    First published in R.E.Fries, Wiss. Erg. Schwed. Rhodesia-Kongo-Exp. 1911-1912, 1: 208 (1916)

    Accepted by

    • Walters, G., Dauby, G., Stévart, T., Dessein, S., Niangadouma, R. & Lachenaud, O. (2011). Novitates Gabonenses 80. Additions and corrections to the flora of Gabon Edinburgh Journal of Botany 68: 423-442.
    • Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
    • Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.
    • Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
    • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1995). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7: 1-430. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
    • Clayton, W.D. (1989). Flora Zambesiaca 10(3): 1-231. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
    • Ndabaneze, P. (1989). Catalogue des Graminées du Burundi Lejeunia; Revue de Botanique, n.s., 132: 1-127.
    • Troupin, G. (ed.) (1988). Flora du Rwanda 4: I-X, 1-651. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.
    • Clayton, W.D., Phillips, S.M., Renvoize, S.A. (1974). Gramineae Flora of Tropical East Africa 2: 177-449.
    • Lewalle, J. (1970). Liste floristique et répartition altitudinale de la flore du Burundi occidental: 1-84. Université officielle de Bujumbura.
    • Bosser, J. (1969). Gramiées des pasturages et des cultures a Madagascar: 1-440. ORSTOM, Paris.

    Literature

    Kew Backbone Distributions
    • Walters, G., Dauby, G., Stévart, T., Dessein, S., Niangadouma, R. & Lachenaud, O. (2011). Novitates Gabonenses 80. Additions and corrections to the flora of Gabon Edinburgh Journal of Botany 68: 423-442.
    • Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
    • Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.
    • Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1995). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 7: 1-430. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
    • Clayton, W.D. (1989). Flora Zambesiaca 10(3): 1-231. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
    • Troupin, G. (ed.) (1988). Flora du Rwanda 4: I-X, 1-651. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.
    • Clayton, W.D., Phillips, S.M., Renvoize, S.A. (1974). Gramineae Flora of Tropical East Africa 2: 177-449.
    • Lewalle, J. (1970). Liste floristique et répartition altitudinale de la flore du Burundi occidental: 1-84. Université officielle de Bujumbura.
    • Robyns, W. (1934). Flore Agrostologique du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi 2: 9-386. Goemaere, Bruxelles.
    Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • D.M. Napper, Grasses of Tanganyika: 54(1965).
    • K.W. Harker & D.M. Napper, An Illustrated Guide to the Grasses of Uganda p. 22(1960).
    • A.V. Bogdan, A Revised List of Kenya Grasses p. 31 (1958).
    • Jackson & Wiehe, Ann. list Nyasaland grasses: 33 (1958).
    • Robyns, Flore des Spermatophytes du Parc National Albert 3: 134 (1955).
    • Eggeling, Ann. list grasses Ug.: 10 (1947).
    • Hubbard in Flora of Tropical Africa 10: 86 (1937).
    • Robyns, Fl. Agrost. Congo Belge 2: 372 (1934).
    • Pilg. in R. E. Fries, Wiss. Ergebn. Schwed. Rhod.-Kongo-Exped. 1: 208 (1916).

    Sources

    Flora Zambesiaca
    Flora Zambesiaca
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

    Flora of Tropical East Africa
    Flora of Tropical East Africa
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

    GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

    Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
    'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    Kew Backbone Distributions
    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2019. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

    Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2019. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0