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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Eragrostis capitula
HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Culms 15–30 cm long; 5 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pilose, or hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheaths tight; scaberulous; hirsute; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Collar glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blades curled; 12–25 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; hirsute; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle glabrous, or pilose above.
Panicle capitate; oblong, or globose; 5–22 cm long; 5–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 0.5–1.5 cm long. Panicle branches hirsute; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs; glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils; with prominent pulvini.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; 2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes zig-zag; 0.2–0.3 mm long.
GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear, or ovate; 1.3–2 mm long; 0.8–1 length of upper glume; membranous, or cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume linear, or ovate; 1.3–2 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous, or cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.8 mm long; 1 mm wide; membranous, or cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins midway between midvein and margin. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea elliptic, or ovate; membranous, or coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged. Palea apex obtuse; scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.3–0.4 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp, or tardily free pericarp; ovoid; 0.5–0.6 mm long. Embryo 0.33–0.5 length of caryopsis. Disseminule comprising a caryopsis and palea.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1997.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
