Eleusine indica

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 15–85 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths keeled; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.6–1 mm long; truncate. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 5–35 cm long; 2.5–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous (at raceme base).

Racemes 1–10(–17); single (rarely), or digitate; unilateral; 3.5–15.5 cm long; 3–3.5 mm wide. Rhachis wingless; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–2.3 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1.8–2.9 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; 3 -veined (with subsidiaries in keel). Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate in profile; 2.1–3.6 mm long; membranous; 3 -veined (excluding subsidiaries). Lemma midvein with contiguous subsidiary veins (3-veined). Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9–1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; isodiametric; trigonous; concealed by floret; 1–1.3 mm long; black; striate.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: northern, southwestern, and southeastern. Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, middle Atlantic ocean, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, northwestern, and north-central. North America: eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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