Eragrostis collina

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths coriaceous; yellow; glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm. Culms erect; robust; 60–125 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 20–30 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–30 cm long; 5–10 cm wide; contracted about secondary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; profusely divided. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.66–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.2 mm long; membranous; mid-green, or dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1.5 mm long. Palea keels eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1–1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid, or orbicular; 1.2 mm long; dark brown.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, and China.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Turk 1993.

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