Eragrostis crassinervis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Glands sunken crateriform. Culms 15–60 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glandular. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate; dense; 6–12 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose, or simple; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4.5–8 mm long; 2–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

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

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5 mm long; membranous; glandular on veins; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent; excurrent. Lemma apex truncate; mucronate. Palea keels eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.4–0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; 0.4–0.5 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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