Eragrostis acraea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms robust; 100–200 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths 20–40 cm long; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 30–60 cm long; 3–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; 15–70 cm long; 5–20 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; whorled at lower nodes. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.6–2.3 mm long; 0.75–0.85 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.2–2.7 mm long; 1.5–2 mm wide; chartaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea chartaceous. Palea keels scaberulous; eciliate. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.7 mm long; red, or purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; 1 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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