Ehrharta pusilla

HABIT Annual. Culms prostrate; 5–35 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 1.5–11 cm long; 2–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; secund; 3–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; (5.6–)6.5–8.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.9 length of upper glume; herbaceous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets dissimilar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined; smooth; ciliate on margins; acute; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 1–2 mm long. Lemma of upper sterile floret elliptic; basally auriculate; 1 length of lower sterile floret; cartilaginous; ciliate on margins; acute; awned. Awn of upper sterile floret 1–2 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; 4.3–5.5 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma apex acute. 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.