Eragrostis dayanandanii

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 10–25 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–15 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 4–10 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–36 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; 1–1.75 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–0.9 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 0.9–1.2 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 1–1.2 mm long; membranous; grey; eglandular; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea oblanceolate; 1 mm long; 1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 2; 0.2 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or orbicular; isodiametric; 0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Ravi et al 2001.

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