GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Eriachne nodosa

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 32–62 cm long; 3–6 -noded. Culm-internodes striate; smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pallid, or purple; glabrous. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 1.4–8 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; hispid; hairy abaxially; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 6–10.5 cm long; 6–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–4 cm long. Panicle branches puberulous to pilose; bearded in axils; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 10–20 mm long; villous; hairy at base; with 7 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 4–5.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus 0.2–0.5 mm long; bearded; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; yellow; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4–5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with scarious margins; yellow; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 4–5.3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy below. Lemma margins involute; ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma hairs white; 1.5–3 mm long. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea gaping; 6.5–8 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea surface pilose; hairy below. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2–3.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 2.5 mm long; obtuse.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eriachneae. Lazarides 1995.

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