Eriochloa rovumensis

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 45–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–15 cm long; 2–8 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.5–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–8 cm long. Rhachis angular; pilose on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3.5–5.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus globular; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex attenuate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0–1 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 0.75–0.8 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; pilose; acuminate. Fertile lemma ovate; 3–4 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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