Eragrostis sessilispica

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–90 cm long; 1 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–30 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole.

Panicle open; ovate; 25–65 cm long; 10–25 cm wide; 0.5 of culm length; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; distant; simple; 3–30 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff; bearing distant spikelets; scabrous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or oblanceolate; laterally compressed; 5–12.5 mm long; 2–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret (tardily). Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–6 mm long; 0.66–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 3–6 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3–5 mm long; 2–4 mm wide; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea bowed outwards; cartilaginous. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.25 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Texas 1994.

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