Eragrostis aegyptiaca

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms decumbent; 10–30 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–15 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 3–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; not whorled, or whorled at lower nodes; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches scaberulous; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5–15 mm long; 0.8–1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5–0.7 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1–1.4 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets appressed to rhachilla. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.2–1.7 mm long; membranous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.5–0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Africa: north, west tropical, and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FWTA.

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