Eragrostis capillaris

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 15–40 cm long; 9–25 cm wide; 0.66 of culm length. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 5–15 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 5–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or ovate; laterally compressed; 2 mm long; 1 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.2 mm long; 0.9–1 length of upper glume; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–1.4 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5 mm long; 1 mm wide; membranous; mid-green, or grey; keeled; lightly keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.5 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Texas 1994.

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