Eragrostis atropioides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 5 mm long. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 4–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 25–50 cm long; 2–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 10–25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; 1.5–2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; obtuse. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: north-central.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Hitchcock 1993.

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