Eleusine semisterilis

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.25 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 19–30 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–10; digitate; unilateral; 5–15 cm long. Rhachis wingless; flattened; terminating in a sterile spikelet. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; lax; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets rudimentary, or well-developed; 2–4 in number; barren; smaller than fertile.

Apical sterile spikelets barren; 3–5 in number.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 1.7–2.5 mm long; 0.7–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 2.3–2.4 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong in profile; 3.2–3.8 mm long; membranous; dark brown; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein simple. Lemma margins eciliate, or pilose (obscurely). Lemma apex obtuse. 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; obovoid; dorsally compressed; concavo-convex; 1–1.2 mm long; black; granular.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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