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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Eragrostis acutiflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–70 cm long; 1.5–2 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or involute; 6–25 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough adaxially; pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 17–28 cm long; 8–14 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate; 5–10 cm long. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 2–5 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–17 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; with lower narrower than upper; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.9–1.5 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.3–1.4 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.2 mm long; membranous; light green and purple; streaked with last colour (along keel); keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate. Palea 0.9 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 0.3 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 0.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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