Eragrostis caespitosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident (hard, yellow, glabrous to silky). Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–50 cm long; wiry. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–12 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; dense; 3–13 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate, or obovate; laterally compressed; 2.5–5.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1–2 mm long; 0.7–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 1.3–1.7 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein eciliate, or ciliolate. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.5–0.6 mm long.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Palea hairs 0.4–0.7mm.

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