GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Eragrostiella nardoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long; 2 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal; without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or bearded. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 10–22 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; erect; unilateral; 14–19 cm long; 2.5–5 mm wide. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular (but interrupted below); 2 -rowed.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 11–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 8–9 mm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets falling as a whole.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong, or ovate; 2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile florets imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2 mm long; cartilaginous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; scabrous, or pubescent. Palea ovate; 0.8 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; isodiametric.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides.

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