Eragrostis barteri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 80–100 cm long; woody; eventually collapsing and rooting from upper nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–20 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 4–20 cm long; evenly furnished.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–40 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 8–16 mm long; 2–3 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 lanceolate; 1–2 mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.2–3.2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.9–1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, and northeast tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FWTA.

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