Eragrostis homomalla

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 8–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–10 cm long; 1–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate, or linear; 3–15 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches not whorled; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–2 mm long; glandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 2–7 mm long; 0.7–1 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.3–0.5 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.6–0.8 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets appressed to rhachilla. Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.5–0.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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