Eragrostis ferruginea

HABIT Perennial. Culms 45–60 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 7.5–12 cm long; 2–7 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 15–25 cm long; 4–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 4–8 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 7–9 mm long; glandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–13 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.8–2.8 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 2–3 mm long; membranous; dark green, or purple; keeled; lightly keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 2 mm long; dark brown; truncate.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lecomte 1994.

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