Eragrostis apiculata

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 45 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section; striate; smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; smooth; glabrous on surface, or pilose (sparsely). Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy abaxially; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; straight; 7–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 1–2 -nate; simple, or sparsely divided. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 10–15 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex cuspidate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex cuspidate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or oblong; 2–3 mm long; membranous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex apiculate; muticous, or mucronate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Doell 2003.

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