Eragrostis palustris

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths green, or purple. Culms erect; 90–110 cm long. Culm-internodes glaucous. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 15–30 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; effuse; 8–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 10 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 10–18 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3 basal sterile florets; 5–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.8–1 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.8 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume. Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.8–2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 0.5 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gram Cam 1997.

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