Eragrostis echinochloidea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or sparsely hairy. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 45–90 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glandular (on keel); keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 25–50 cm long; 3–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 4–16 cm long; 2–8 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Panicle branches glandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2–6 mm long; 2.2–3.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; glandular (on veins); 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; glandular (on veins); 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma orbicular; 2 mm long; membranous; glandular on veins; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged; with toothed wings; scaberulous; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.5–0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.5 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.