Eragrostis contrerasii

HABIT Annual. Stolons present. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 7–30 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface to pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades 2–5 cm long; 1.5–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy adaxially, or on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Dioecious. Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 3.5–8 cm long; 2.5–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glabrous, or pubescent; glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–25 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 8–22 mm long; 1.2–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.6–1.1 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.8–2.1 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma surface glabrous, or puberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.5 length of lemma. Palea surface scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.1–1.5 mm long; eventually exserted.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; obtuse.

MALE Male inflorescence similar to female. Male spikelets resembling female.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.

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