Ehrharta brevifolia

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 18–50 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2.5–10 cm long; 3–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 6–12 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 2.7–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.9 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 0.5 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; smooth; ciliate on margins; obtuse. Lemma of upper sterile floret elliptic; basally auriculate; 2.5–4.2 mm long; 2 length of lower sterile floret; cartilaginous; ciliate on margins; obtuse; mucronate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5–4.2 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; membranous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Ehrharteae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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