Eragrostis exasperata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 15–70 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–25 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous, or pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 3–7 mm long; 2.5–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; gibbous; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; yellow, or mid-green, or purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex cuspidate. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.2–0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Palea hairs 0.1–0.2mm.

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