Aeluropus lagopoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; scaly; hairy. Stolons absent, or present. Butt sheaths villous. Culms geniculately ascending, or prostrate; 5–30 cm long. Leaves cauline; distichous. Leaf-sheaths loose; open for most of their length; 0.4–1 cm long; longer than adjacent culm internode; without keel; indistinctly veined; glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin glabrous (hyaline). Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded; symmetrical. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 0.5–4 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scabrous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins entire; scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 0.5–3 cm long; pubescent above.

Racemes 1; single; oblong, or globose; unilateral, or multilateral; 0.5–1 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 0–1 basal sterile florets; 4–18 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 1.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume surface villous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume apex erose; obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–3 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 9–11 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface villous. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 1 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back and on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; ciliate; truncate. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; dorsally compressed. Embryo 0.6 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform. Disseminule comprising a floret.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southeastern. Africa: north and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and Arabia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Rev VJN 1993.

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