Eriochloa

HABIT Annual (19), or perennial (15). Rhizomes absent (33), or short (1). Culms erect (20/26), or geniculately ascending (14/26), or decumbent (3/26), or rambling (2/26); robust (1/2), or weak (1/2); 10–68.23–200 cm long; without nodal roots (1/3), or rooting from lower nodes (3/3). Culm-internodes terete (1/1). Lateral branches lacking (2/8), or sparse (4/8), or ample (2/8), or fastigiate (1/8). Ligule a ciliate membrane (1), or a fringe of hairs (33). Leaf-blades filiform (1), or linear (30), or lanceolate (6); herbaceous (33), or coriaceous (1); stiff (1), or firm (33). Leaf-blade apex muticous (33), or pungent (1).

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle (1), or composed of racemes; exserted (33), or embraced at base by subtending leaf (1).

Panicle open (1/1).

Racemes single (1), or paired (1), or borne along a central axis; appressed (4), or erect (3), or ascending (29), or spreading (1); linear (33), or oblong (1); unilateral; bearing 5–8 fertile spikelets on each (1/1). Rhachis wingless (30), or narrowly winged (5); angular. Spikelet packing adaxial (9/9); crowded (5), or contiguous (29); 2 -rowed (12/12). Raceme-bases brief (33), or filiform (1).

Spikelets ascending (1/3), or pectinate (2/3); solitary (20), or in pairs (23), or clustered at each node (1). Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2–4 in the cluster (1/1). Pedicels free, or fused to each other (1); oblong (30/31), or clavate (1/31); tip discoid (10/10).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate (16), or elliptic (15), or oblong (2), or ovate (8); dorsally compressed; 2–4.359–11 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus globular; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; glabrous (32/32).

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure (30), or two (4); reaching apex of florets (8), or exceeding apex of florets (27); thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate (1/4), or ovate (1/4), or oblate (3/4); 0.05 length of upper glume; hyaline (2/3), or membranous (1/3); without keels (2/2); 0 -veined (2/3), or 3–5 -veined (1/3). Lower glume lateral veins absent (2/4), or distinct (2/4). Lower glume surface without pits (4/4); glabrous (3/4), or pilose (1/4). Lower glume apex truncate (3/4), or obtuse (1/4), or acuminate (1/4), or cuspidate (1/4). Upper glume lanceolate (1), or elliptic (25), or ovate (9); membranous (32), or herbaceous (2); without keels; 3 -veined (1/27), or 5 -veined (26/27). Upper glume surface smooth (32), or scabrous (2); glabrous (3), or puberulous (2), or pubescent (20), or pilose (6), or hirsute (1), or villous (4). Upper glume apex entire (33), or dentate (1); 3 -fid (1/1); obtuse (1/33), or acute (11/33), or acuminate (14/33), or attenuate (10/33), or setaceously attenuate (1/33); muticous (23), or mucronate (4), or awned (13); 1 -awned (13/13).

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male (4), or barren (32); with palea (5), or without significant palea (29). Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate (1), or elliptic (27), or ovate (7); 3.5–3.75–4 length of fertile lemma; membranous (8/8); 3 -veined (2/26), or 5 -veined (24/26); obtuse (1), or acute (12), or acuminate (17), or attenuate (6); muticous (31), or mucronate (3), or awned (1). Fertile lemma lanceolate (1), or elliptic (32), or oblong (5), or ovate (2); indurate; without keel; wingless; 3 -veined (1/3), or 5 -veined (2/3). Lemma surface smooth (21), or granulose (9), or papillose (2), or reticulate (1), or punctate (1); unwrinkled (32), or rugulose (2); without grooves. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse (24), or acute (9), or apiculate (1); without ornament (27), or pubescent (7); muticous (7), or mucronate (23), or awned (7); 1 -awned (7/7). Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3 (8/8).

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp (4/4); ellipsoid (2/4), or oblong (3/4); dorsally compressed (1/1). Embryo 0.33–0.415–0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform (1/2), or linear (1/2); 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Europe (2), or Africa (8), or Temperate Asia (5), or Tropical Asia (6), or Australasia (7), or Pacific (2), or North America (8), or South America (18).

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