Eragrostis curtipedicellata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Glands elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–60 cm long. Culm-internodes glandular. Leaf-sheaths without exudate, or viscid; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole.

Panicle open; ovate; 30–45 cm long; 10–25 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 3–15 cm long. Panicle branches stiff; viscid; scabrous; bearded in axils.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.25–1.5 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; 1 mm wide; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea straight. Palea keels ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.2–0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Texas 1994.

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