Eragrostis chalarothyrsos

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or short. Culms erect; 60–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10–25 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; 6–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–24 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 4–12 mm long; (3–)3.5–5.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–3 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; (2–)2.5–3 mm long; membranous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1 mm long.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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