Eragrostis bahiensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–120 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.1–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 5–25 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 5–30 cm long; 2.5–18 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending, or spreading; 3.5–12 cm long. Panicle branches flexible, or capillary; flexuous; scabrous; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.2–1.4 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 10–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; 2–2.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.4 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.4–1.6 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.2 mm long; 1.2 mm wide; membranous; without keel; rounded except near apex; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.8–1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia. Pacific: northwestern. North America: southeast USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Harvey 1994.

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