Leptaspis zeylanica Nees ex Steud.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Ridge above Cavalo, Sanjunjira, Mt Gorongosa.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Magorogodo hills, Zomba Community

Photo: Bart Wursten
Survey Plot 2, Magorogodo hills, Zomba Community

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Synonyms:	Leptaspis cochleata Thwaites
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Stout perennial grass, growing from a shallow rhizome, forming dense patches in the understorey of evergreen forest. Culms 0·3-1·20 m. tall, arising from a decumbent base, producing slender stilt-like roots from the lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths longer than the internodes, tight at first, later somewhat loose and sometimes slipping off the culms, striate, glabrous or puberulous. Ligule short, scarious, ciliolate.Leaves up to 30 × 6 cm, oblong-lanceolate, abruptly acute at the apex, asymmetrically attenuate into the 1-2·5(4) cm. long pseudo-petiole, thinly but stiffly chartaceous, somewhat glossy green above; midrib prominent and whitish beneath. Panicle up to 45 × 20 cm., loose, with the branches 2-3 in a whorl; rhachis purplish-green, terete, smooth, usually glabrous; branches patent, deflexed or ascending, more rarely appressed to the rhachis. male spikelets c. 4 mm. long; glumes about 1/2 as long, purplish. hermaphrodite spikelets 4-6·5 mm. long, becoming detached and adhering like burrs by means of hooked hairs; glumes 2-3 mm. long, ovate, acuminate, often purplish. Lemma 4-6 mm. long, conchiform, with prominent ribs; pore lateral. Caryopsis not seen.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	zeylanica: from Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
Habitat:	In the understorey of evergreen forest, usually in dense patches, locally abundant.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Throughout tropical Africa, Madagascar extending to Sri Lanka, Malaysia and the Solomon Is.
Mozambique distribution:	Z,MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 29 March 2014
Literature:	Launert, E. (1971). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(1) Pages 21 - 23. As Leptaspis cochleata (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 106. As Leptaspis cochleata Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 71.

Other sources of information about Leptaspis zeylanica:

Our websites:

Flora of Zimbabwe: Leptaspis zeylanica

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Leptaspis zeylanica
African Plant Database: Leptaspis zeylanica
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Leptaspis zeylanica
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Leptaspis zeylanica
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Leptaspis zeylanica
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Leptaspis zeylanica
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Leptaspis zeylanica
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Leptaspis zeylanica
iNaturalist: Leptaspis zeylanica
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Leptaspis zeylanica
JSTOR Plant Science: Leptaspis zeylanica
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Leptaspis zeylanica
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Leptaspis zeylanica
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Leptaspis zeylanica
Plants of the World Online: Leptaspis zeylanica
Tropicos: Leptaspis zeylanica
Wikipedia: Leptaspis zeylanica