Eragrostis caniflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–50 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 2–16 cm long; 0.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–10 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes lower persistent, upper deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.3–2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.6–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2–2.4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous; eciliate. Palea surface pilose; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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