Eragrostis dielsii

HABIT Perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 7–30 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate, or elliptic; equilateral, or secund; 2–10 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide; gathered into fascicles. Primary panicle branches distant; 1 -nate; indistinct the panicle almost racemose, or simple; 0–3 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–81 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; straight, or curved; laterally compressed, or subterete; compressed slightly; 15–25 mm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1.5 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent; midway between midvein and margin. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; dorsally compressed.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia. Pacific: north-central.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr C Austral 1994.

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