Eragrostis surreyana

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 5–8(–13) cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 1.6–3.5 cm long; 0.2–0.6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary; aerial, or shorter than basal leaves.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 9–13 cm long; 0.5–1.3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–3 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.8–13 mm long; 1.1–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes 0.3–0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1–2.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.3–2.7 mm long; 1.1–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.2–1.9 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness, or scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins ribbed. Lemma apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea oblong, or ovate; 0.66 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.2–0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; laterally compressed; 0.35–0.5 mm long; light brown.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Sheoh. & Trudgen 2011.

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