Eragrostis aurorae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms 35–70 cm long; 1–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flexuous; filiform; involute; 5–12 cm long; 0.2–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; 16–25 cm long; 10–14 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches straight, or flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 2–7 mm long; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 8–10 mm long; 1–1.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.8–3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.2–3.4 mm long; 1.6–1.8 mm wide; herbaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea elliptic; 0.9 length of lemma. Palea keels eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.7 mm long; fleshy. Anthers 3; oblong; 1.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Launert 1993.

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