Eragrostis berteroniana

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–20 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 3–10 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins eglandular.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 3–10 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 15–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–13 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.7 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; eglandular; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 0.75 mm long; truncate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Man Gr WI 1994.

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