Ectrosia leporina

HABIT Annual. Culms 20–70 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–12 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; interrupted; 5–15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; bearing a few hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 2 mm long overall. Palea 0.66 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets 2–5 in number; barren; separate; linear; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas awned; 1 -awned. Apical sterile lemma awns 3–8 mm long.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Tothill.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.