Agrostis lachnantha

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–90 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat; 7–20 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; flaccid; light green.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; oblong; 5–30 cm long; 1–3 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2–2.5 mm long; 1.2–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous (rarely), or pubescent, or pilose. Lemma hairs 0.5–1 mm long. Lemma apex erose; obtuse; muticous, or mucronate (0–0.5mm). Principal lemma awn subapical. Palea 0.9 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 0.5–0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear. Endosperm farinose.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Aveneae. FTEA.

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