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Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Eragrostis acamptoclada
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 40–80 cm long. Culm-internodes eglandular. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; eglandular; without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 10–21 cm long; 0.5–0.7 mm wide; eglandular. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; elliptic, or oblong; loose; 13–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches without sterile bristles, or sterile at the tips. Panicle branches stiff; straight; eglandular; glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils; with insignificant pulvini.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels flexuous; 3–6 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 4.5–8 mm long; 2.5–2.8 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas; fragile above. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.8–2.3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.8–2.3 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.8–2.3 mm long; membranous; pallid and purple; suffused with last colour; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex truncate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1–1.4 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.
NOTES Eragrostideae. Cope 1996.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.