Eragrostis stapfii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 15–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; filiform; involute; 10–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5–15 cm long; 3–7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–3(–5) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 2–4 mm long; 0.5–1 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; 1 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 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 florets appressed to rhachilla. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; lightly keeled; 1(–3) -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate. Palea keels approximate; smooth, or scaberulous; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; oblong. 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.