Eriochloa nelsonii

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; 8–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–15 cm long; pilose. Rhachis angular; pilose on surface. Rhachis hairs 1 mm long. Spikelet packing regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; villous; with 4–5 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 5–7 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus globular; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3.5–4 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface smooth, or papillose.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.

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