Eragrostis walteri

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or mat forming, or caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 20–110 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 5–10 cm long; 2–4.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–8 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; 1.5–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2.25 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex setaceously attenuate. Upper glume ovate; 2.25 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; lanceolate in profile; 2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea keels thickened; eciliate. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.6–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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