Eragrostis annulata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Glands annular and capitate. Culms geniculately ascending; 14–35 cm long. Culm-internodes glandular. Leaf-sheaths glandular; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; glandular. Leaf-blade surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; dense; 4–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels glandular; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–15 mm long; 1.5–2.3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.2 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 1.8 mm long; membranous; pallid, or purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.6–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong, or ovoid. Embryo 0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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