Eragrostis dinteri

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–50 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–15 cm long; 2–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or tuberculate-ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 5–20 cm long. Panicle branches glandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–25 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 7–17 mm long; 3–5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent; free at tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 4–4.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC.

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