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.

Eragrostis fimbrillata

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 15–35 cm long. Culm-internodes eglandular. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; eglandular; without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 7–13 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; eglandular. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or oblong; 7–12 cm long. Panicle branches eglandular; glabrous in axils; with insignificant pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 3–12 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–7.5 mm long; 2.5–2.8 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.3–1.7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.3–1.7 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 2–2.3 mm long; membranous; purple, or pallid and purple; tipped with last colour; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex obtuse; pubescent. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea apex ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.2–1.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Cope 1996.

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