Poaceae
Sacciolepis

Sacciolepis chevalieri Stapf

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 9: 754 (1920)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical & S. Africa, Madagascar. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Tufted perennial, sometimes with short rhizomes; culms 20–100 cm. high, hard, usually without cross-veins in the basal sheaths.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades tightly rolled, 5–20 cm. long, 1–2 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicle cylindrical, 2–16 cm. long, often somewhat interrupted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets ovate, laterally compressed, 1.5–2.2 mm. long, mostly pubescent; lower glume ovate, ± 1/2 as long as the spikelet; upper glume membranous; lower floret male, its palea almost as long as the lemma.
Habitat
In swamps and near water; 250–2100 m.
Distribution
K3 K5 T4 T6 T7 T8 U1 U3 throughout tropical Africa
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect perennial up to 60 cm. high growing from a short rhizome, the culms soft below
Ecology
Marshy places.
[FWTA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Shortly rhizomatous perennial.
Morphology Culms
Culms 20–100 cm. high, hard, usually without cross-nerves in the basal sheaths.
Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina
Leaf laminae 1–2 mm. wide, tightly rolled, strongly ribbed, papillose or not.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicle 2–16 cm. long, cylindrical, often somewhat interrupted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 1.5–2 mm. long, ovate, mostly pubescent.
[FZ]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/136645113/136645129

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

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
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or short. Butt sheaths scarious; without ribs (or reticulation). Culms 20-100 cm long; firm. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades convolute; 5-20 cm long; 1-7 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 2-16 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1.5-2.2 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; gibbous; 1.5-2.2 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; gibbous; 1.5-1.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins ribbed. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; ribbed; pubescent; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1-1.3 mm long; coriaceous; pallid; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; coriaceous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 1 mm long.
Distribution
Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.
Reference
Paniceae. FTEA.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • 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

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

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

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0