Enteropogon fasciculatus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40–50 cm long; wiry. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curled; filiform; conduplicate; 1–10 cm long; 0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; flexuous; unilateral; 3–5 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; 0.5 mm long; pubescent; obtuse.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume subulate; 0.4–0.8 mm long; 0.2–0.3 length of upper glume. Upper glume linear; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; coriaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous; 12–16 mm long overall. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; linear; 1–1.2 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas acute; muticous.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; flattened; concavo-convex.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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