Morphological characteristics

Annual (2n=24), erect grass with a soft ligule >3mm that splits (when dry); panicles open, basal panicle branches widely spreading; spikelets >5.5 mm long and 3 cm long; anthers 1.5-3.2 mm long.

Chromosome number

2n=2x=24

Genome

BB

Distribution

Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Zaire, and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

Found in open or semi-open habitats, such as forest margins, grassland and thickets, degraded mopane scrub, open bush or shifting cultivation fields, and rice fields; swampy areas, around water holes and pools, on riverbanks that flood to 1 m depth. Prefers back clay or sandy soil.

Habitat: near forest

Collecting O. punctata in a dry pool in Kwale district, Kenya

Habitat: pool side (tetraploid race), West Africa

Habit, in GRC’s screen house, Philippines

A panicle

Spikelets (diploid race)

Spikelets (tetraploid race)