Eragrostis anacranthoides

HABIT Annual. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 15–30 cm long. Culm-internodes eglandular. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths eglandular; without keel; pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 4–8 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; eglandular. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or oblong; 7–13 cm long. Primary panicle branches sterile at the tips. Panicle branches stiff; straight; eglandular; bearded in axils; with insignificant pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous; 8–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; subterete; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; persistent on plant (but shedding caryopsis), or breaking up at maturity (tardily); rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–0.9 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.9–1.1 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.2–1.3 mm long; membranous; grey; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma margins pilose. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea bowed outwards; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 2; 0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Cope 1996.

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