Eragrostis basedowii

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 10–30 cm long. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty; 1–2.5 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.25 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; continuous, or interrupted; 1–8 cm long; 0.5–2.5 cm wide. Panicle axis with lower internodes 0.5–3 cm long; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5 mm long; smooth, or scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–27 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels ciliolate; with hairs 0.5 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl NSW 1994.

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