Eragrostis aspera

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 20–80 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 3–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; effuse; 15–40 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending (at 45 degrees); profusely divided. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–22 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 3–10 mm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic, or ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume elliptic, or ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 1.2–1.7 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex truncate, or obtuse. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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