Eragrostis elliottii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 40–80 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 20–40 cm long; 0.5–0.6 of culm length. Primary panicle branches ascending; subdividing 2–4 times. Panicle branches stiff.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 9–25 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 5–12 mm long; 2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5 mm long; 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 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 0.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: northwestern. North America: south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Man US Gr 1994.

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