Perotis patens Gand.

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Picture: Bart Wursten
Eland Way, Haka

Picture: Bart Wursten
Island 2, Katombora: near boat landing point

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Annual or short-lived perennial grass, up to 1 m. A sparsely tufted grass with relatively few leaves, leaf laminas 2–8(11) cm × 3–12 mm, lanceolate to narrowly ovate. Inflorescence 7–35 cm long, a long and slender spike, well exserted from the uppermost leaf sheath. Spikelets densely packed along the rhachis with long, hair-like awns, 2–2.6 mm long, rounded at the base and without a definite callus; glumes scaberulous to minutely hispidulous, with a slender, purple or carmine, flexuous awn, those of the 2 glumes similar, 8–15(25) mm long.Caryopsis terete.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	patens: spreading, diverging from the axis at almost 90 degrees
Habitat:	Often a pioneer in eroded places and sandy soils in cultivated and disturbed areas and along roadsides.
Altitude range:	Up to 1700 m
Flowering time:	Nov - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical and South Africa and Madagascar
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca):	B,N,W,C,E,S
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	Nw,Lk,W
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:	Tuesday 7 November 2023
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 43. Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Pages 249 - 253. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 510. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 54. 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 108. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 164 - 165. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 142. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 28. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 191.

Other sources of information about Perotis patens:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Perotis patens
Flora of Caprivi: Perotis patens
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Perotis patens
Flora of Malawi: Perotis patens
Flora of Mozambique: Perotis patens
Flora of Zimbabwe: Perotis patens

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Perotis patens
African Plant Database: Perotis patens
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Perotis patens
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Perotis patens
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Perotis patens
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Perotis patens
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Perotis patens
JSTOR Plant Science: Perotis patens
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Perotis patens
Plants of the World Online: Perotis patens
Tropicos: Perotis patens
Wikipedia: Perotis patens