Eragrostis atrovirens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms geniculately ascending; 30–100 cm long; 1.5–3 mm diam. Leaves basal and cauline. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 4–40 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–50 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–20 mm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–1.7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.8–1.7 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent; free at tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.4–2 mm long; membranous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: northwestern. North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, northern South America, and western South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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