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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Eragrostis ecarinata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths glossy. Culms 60–92 cm long; 4–6 -noded. Leaf-sheaths tight; longer than adjacent culm internode; scaberulous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate; erect; 3–5 mm long; pale. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.1–0.3 mm long. Collar glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blades curled; 12–25 cm long; 2.5–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose, or hirsute; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; continuous, or interrupted; 9–22 cm long; 1 cm wide. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 15–22 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 6.5–9 mm long; 3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes thickened; curved; 0.2–0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear, or ovate; 1.1–2.5 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 1(–5) -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume linear, or ovate; 1.1–2.5 mm long; 0.6–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 1(–5) -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or obscure. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate, or orbicular; gibbous; 2 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or asperulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea orbicular; with auriculate flaps; 2 -veined. Palea keels falling well short of apex. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4–0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.6–0.7 mm long. Disseminule comprising a floret.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1997.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Palea flaps 0.25–0.33 of body length.

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