Eragrostis tenellula

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped moderately, or densely. Culms erect; 25–50 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths loose; smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.25 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate to ovate; 4–30 cm long; 0.5–12 cm wide; contracted about secondary branches. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 1.5–3.5 mm long; 0.5–1 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5–1 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.5–1 mm long; 0.5–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 0.1–0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl NSW 1994.

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