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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Eragrostis fastigiata
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 37–75 cm long. Culm-internodes eglandular. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; eglandular; without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved, or flexuous; filiform; involute; 10–30 cm long; 0.5–0.8 mm wide; eglandular. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; elliptic, or oblong, or ovate; dense; 7.5–11.5 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Panicle branches eglandular; glabrous in axils; with insignificant pulvini.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm long; eglandular.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.8–3.6 mm long; 2–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 1.7–2.3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough on flanks. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, or oblong; 1.7–2.3 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins scaberulous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.3 mm long; membranous; dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Palea surface scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; 0.9 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.
NOTES Eragrostideae. Cope 1996.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
