Eragrostiella

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; slender (1/1); 20–40.33–60 cm long; firm (5), or wiry (1). Lateral branches lacking. Leaves differentiated into sheath and blade (3), or without demarcation between sheath and blade (3). Ligule a ciliolate membrane (4), or a ciliate membrane (1), or a fringe of hairs (1). Leaf-blades filiform (5), or linear (1); herbaceous (5), or coriaceous (1); stiff (1), or firm (5). Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous (1/1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes single; erect; unilateral; bearing 7–35 fertile spikelets on each (1/1). Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded (2), or contiguous (3), or distant (1); 2 -rowed (5/5).

Spikelets ascending (5/5); solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–8 fertile florets (1), or 9 fertile florets (2), or 10 fertile florets (3), or 11 fertile florets (4), or 12–15 fertile florets (5), or 16–19 fertile florets (2), or 20–50 fertile florets (1); with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic (5), or oblong; laterally compressed; 5–9.416–20 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous (4/5), or deciduous (1/5); shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate (5); 0.66–0.8933–1.5 length of upper glume; membranous (5), or cartilaginous (1); 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface without pits. Lower glume apex obtuse (1), or acute (5), or acuminate (2). Upper glume lanceolate (1), or oblong (5), or ovate (5); 0.7–0.95–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous (5), or cartilaginous (1); without keels (1), or 1-keeled (5); 1 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse (2), or acute (3), or acuminate (1).

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or ovate (5); chartaceous (1), or cartilaginous (5); keeled; wingless; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein without distinctive roughness (5), or scaberulous (1). Lemma surface unwrinkled; without grooves. Lemma apex truncate (1), or obtuse (2), or acute (2), or acuminate (1); without ornament (5), or scabrous (1), or pubescent (1). Palea 0.8–0.9125–1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; eciliate (2), or ciliolate (4). Palea surface glabrous (5), or pubescent (1). Palea apex entire (1/1). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; fleshy. Anthers 3 (1/1).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid (1/2), or ovoid (1/2); isodiametric (5/5); trigonous (1/1). Embryo 0.3–0.35–0.4 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa (1), or Temperate Asia (1), or Tropical Asia (5), or Australasia (1).

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