Eragrostis biflora

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–70 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 4–8 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 10–25 cm long; 0.33–0.5 of culm length. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes; profusely divided. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1–2(–3) fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.5–1.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 0.8–1.3 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1–1.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels smooth, or scaberulous; eciliate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.2–0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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