Eragrostis congesta

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–110 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 3–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle glomerate (2–8 globular or ovoid clusters 0.5–2cm diam); linear, or oblong; interrupted, or continuous; 6–30 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous, or pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels villous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–22 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3–10 mm long; 1.2–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets falling as a whole.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–2 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; grey and purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.3–0.4 mm long.

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

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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