Eragrostis cubensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 8–35 cm long; wiry. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Collar glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades convolute; 4–7 cm long; 0.4–0.6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pubescent; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 2.5–7 cm long; 1–3 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches ascending; simple; 0.5–3 cm long; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 12–50 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or ovate; laterally compressed; 5–20 mm long; 1.6–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–1.4 mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–1.6 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.6–2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.75 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Harvey 1994.

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