Eragrostis flavicans

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 20–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat; 3–9 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 3–17 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; simple, or indistinct the panicle almost racemose; 0.5–1 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 2–9 mm long; 2–4 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; 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; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma orbicular, or oblate; 2 mm long; cartilaginous; yellow; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea orbicular. Palea keels winged; scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.5 mm long; reticulate.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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