Eragrostis betsileensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 16–20 cm long. Culm-internodes striate. Leaf-sheaths loose; striately veined; pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 4–7 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; sparsely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–12 cm long; 3–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1.2–1.8 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3–4 mm long; 9 mm long at branch tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; 6–7.5 mm long; 2.2–2.7 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–1.2 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.3 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1.3–1.4 mm long. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Camus 2007.

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