Eleusine floccifolia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–70 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Lateral branches lacking (or only at lowest node). Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 8–55 cm long; 2.5–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins smooth; with tufts of hair. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–10; digitate; spreading, or ascending; unilateral; 2.5–12 cm long. Rhachis wingless; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3.3–6.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.1–2 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; dark green; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2.6–4.2 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; dark green; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic in profile; 2.8–4.6 mm long; membranous; mid-green and grey; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein simple. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9–1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; trigonous; 0.9–1.4 mm long; black; rugose.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern. Africa: north, northeast tropical, and east tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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