Lipocarpha sphacelata (Vahl) Kunth

Global description

Lipocarpha sphacelata is an annual herbaceous plant in tuft, measuring 5 to 40 cm tall, with thin, channeled leaves. The terminal inflorescence, subtended by 3 leaf bracts, consists of 2-4 spikes ellipsoid which are dark in color at maturity. The fruit is an oblong elliptical achene of trigonous section, light brown in color.

General habit

Annual plant in tuft 5 to 40 cm high.

Underground system

Fasciculated root system.

Culm

Te culm is fine, more or less cylindrical, 0.5 to 1.2 mm thick, for a length ranging from 5 to 40 cm.

Leaf

The leaves are simple, alternate, thin and canaliculate. They are 6 to 25 cm long and 0.5 to 2.3 mm wide. They are grouped in the lower part of the floriferous axis. The sheaths are up to 5 cm long. They are reddish brown.

Inflorescence

The inflorescence is terminal. It is subtended by 2 to 3 leafy involucral bracts, the longest being 4 to 15 cm long. At maturity, it measures 8 to 16 mm in diameter. It is composed of 2 to 4 spherical ellipsoid or ovoid ellipsoid spikes, 4 to 7 mm long and 2.5 to 4 mm wide. The spikes are pale at the beginning of development and become dark red to almost black at maturity.

Spikelet

Spikelets have bracts spatulate to oblong obovate. They are acuminate, with an apical end not recurved, dark red or purplish or purplish brown at maturity, with a green median vein. Each flower has 2 elliptical glumes, broad, 1 to 1.4 mm long and has 1 to 2 stamens. The ovary is surmounted by a trifid stigma.

Fruit

The grain is oblong elliptic, of trine section. It is 1.2 to 1.4 mm long and 0.3 to 0.5 mm in diameter. It has a prominent distinct beak. The integument is finely punctuated, of light brown color.

https://www.gbif.org/species/2711790