Eragrostis egregia

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–150 cm long; 4–5 -noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or oblong; 18–30 cm long; 10–15 cm wide. Primary panicle branches simple; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 10–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 9–15 mm long; 2.5–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets falling as a whole.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; awned. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume. Fertile florets divergent; imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 2.5–3 mm long (the lower 3–4 shorter); membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 2–3; 0.7–1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 0.6–0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FWTA.

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