Echinochloa paludigena

HABIT Annual; culms solitary. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades 15–60 cm long; 8–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 10–20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–14 cm long; with branchlets at base of longer racemes. Central inflorescence axis 15–40 cm long. Rhachis subterete. Spikelet packing 4 -rowed. Raceme-bases brief; pilose.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; subequal. Pedicels unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; cuspidate; 4.2–4.5 mm long; 2.4–2.6 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 0.5 length of spikelet; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface hispidulous. Lower glume apex cuspidate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface hispidulous. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; hispidulous; acuminate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1–15 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; 4–4.2 mm long; indurate; much thinner above; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex cuspidate; laterally pinched. Palea reflexed at apex; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2–1.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 1.5–1.8 mm long. Embryo 0.8 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Paniceae. Gould 1994.

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