Eragrostis blepharostachya

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 45–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–30 cm long; 3–9 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 6–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; simple; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; glandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 5–10 mm long; 4–6.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; dark brown; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; dark brown; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; purple; glandular on veins; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins pilose. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6–0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; dorsally compressed; 1–1.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FWTA.

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