Eragrostis schweinfurthii

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 10–50 cm long; wiry; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1–10 cm long; 1–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or spiciform; linear, or elliptic, or ovate; 2–16 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or spreading. Panicle branches stiff.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 2.5–10 mm long; 1.3–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–1.2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.8–1.2 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.3–1.7 mm long; cartilaginous; dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.2–0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or orbicular; 0.5–0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. =Eragrostis kiwuensis. FTEA.

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