Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular

African star grass

Morphology General Habit

Stoloniferous perennial herb without rhizomes; stolons stout and woody, creeping on ground surface

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades flat, linear-lanceolate, 5–16 cm long, 2–6 mm broad

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence with 1 (sometimes 2) whorls of 4–9 slender racemes 4–7 cm long; spikelets 2–3 mm long, green or sometimes reddish or purple; glumes narrowly lanceolate, the upper 0.5–0.75 times the length of the spikelet; lemma silky pubescent on keel, the palea glabrous.

Ecology

In pastures.

Distribution

Grand Cayman. Native to Kenya and other parts of East Africa, now introduced in many tropical countries.]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Gramineae, T. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:2. 1999

Morphology General Habit

Stoloniferous perennial without rhizomes; stolons stout; culms robust to fairly slender, up to 60 cm tall, soft, not woody (but stolons woody); leaf laminas 4–11.5 cm × 2–6 mm, flat.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 4–16 in 1 or sometimes 2 whorls, 4–20 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 2–2.6 mm long, green or pigmented with red or purple; glumes narrowly lanceolate in profile, the superior 1/2–3/4 as long as the spikelet; lemma silky-pubescent to softly ciliate on the keel.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Stoloniferous perennial without rhizomes

Vegetative Multiplication Stolons

Stolons stout and woody, lying flat on the ground

Morphology Stem

Stems robust to fairly slender, up to 60 cm high, soft, not woody

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 4–13 in 1 or 2 whorls, 4–10 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes shorter than the floret, rarely as long; lemma 2–3 mm long, silky-pubescent to softly ciliate on the keel.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Naturalizada y adventicia en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 2000 m.; Andes, Orinoquia, Pacífico, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

No Evaluada

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

Morphology General Habit

Stoloniferous perennial without rhizomes; stolons stout, lying flat on the ground; culms robust to fairly slender, 30–60 cm. high, soft, not woody (but stolons woody).

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades flat, mostly 5–16 cm. long, 2–6 mm. wide, thin and green or rather stiff and glaucous, scaberulous, with or without scattered hairs; ligule a scarious rim 0.3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes in 1, or sometimes 2, whorls, slender, even flexuous, but not stiffly spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 2–3 mm. long, green or pigmented with red or purple; glumes narrowly lanceolate in side view, the upper 1/2–3/4 the length of the spikelet (or sometimes equalling the spikelet in var. robustus); lemma silky pubescent to softly ciliate on the keel; palea glabrous.

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

enredalocas, estrella, estrella africana, pasto estrella, tumbabobos, tumbaviejos

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Height

30–60 cm. high.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; mat forming. Rhizomes absent. Stolons present; with alternating elongated and bunched internodes. Culms geniculately ascending; 30-60 cm long; 1-3 mm diam.; firm. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat; 5-16 cm long; 2-6 mm wide; stiff, or firm; mid-green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-8(-13); digitate; straight, or flexuous; unilateral; 4-7(-10) cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 2-3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 2-3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.5-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 2-3 mm long; cartilaginous; mid-green, or red; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent, or ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels eciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

Distribution

Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and middle Atlantic ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: Malesia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern and north-central. North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

Reference

Cynodonteae. FTEA.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology Stem

Stems stout, 2–3 mm in diam. at the base; leaves thin, green, 5–6 mm wide; racemes 6–13, each 6–10 cm long.

Distribution

S2 tropical East Africa, introduced elsewhere.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

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

Morphology General Habit

Coarse stoloniferous perennial without rhizomes; stolons stout, lying flat on the ground; culms very robust, 40–100 cm. high, 2–6 mm. in diameter at the base, hard, shining and woody.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades flat, 3–25 cm. long, 3–7 mm. wide, stiff and harsh, glaucous, scaberulous, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs; ligule a scarious rim 0.3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 5–17, 4–8 cm. long (typically 5–6 cm.), in 2–5 whorls (rarely 1), stiff and spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 2.5–3 mm. long, strongly pigmented with red or purple; glumes narrowly lanceolate in side view, 1-nerved, the upper ± 3/4 as long as the spikelet; lemma weakly pubescent on the keel above; palea glabrous.

Figures

Fig. 89, p. 320.

Habitat

Rich soils, particularly old cattle kraals and abandoned cultivation; favours moist streamside sites;900–2300 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T7 U2 Ethiopia to Malawi and Mozambique, mainly in the Rift Valleysintroduced as a fodder grass elsewhere

Gramineae, T. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:2. 1999

Morphology General Habit

Coarse stoloniferous perennial without rhizomes; stolons stout; culms very robust, up to 130 cm tall, hard, shining and woody at the base, erect; leaf laminas 5–20 cm × 3–7 mm, flat.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 6–17 in 2–5 (rarely 1) whorls, 6–11 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 2.4–2.8 mm long, strongly pigmented with red or purple; glumes narrowly lanceolate in profile, the superior c. 3/4 as long as the spikelet; lemma glabrous, thinly pubescent or occasionally pilose on the keel.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; mat forming. Rhizomes absent. Stolons present; with alternating elongated and bunched internodes. Culms geniculately ascending; 40-100 cm long; 2-6 mm diam.; woody. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 3-25 cm long; 3-7 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 5-17; digitate; in several whorls; spreading; straight; unilateral; 4-8 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 2.5-3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 2.5-3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 2.5-3 mm long; cartilaginous; red, or purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent; hairy above. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels eciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

Distribution

Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: north-central.

Reference

Cynodonteae. FTEA.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Height

Up to 1 m. high

Note

A species from eastern Africa introduced as a fodder grass.