Eragrostis heteromera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery; glabrous, or pubescent (obscurely). Culms erect; 40–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10–15 cm long; 2–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; 15–30 cm long; evenly furnished, or contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–8 -nate; not whorled. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 4–9 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.2–1.2 mm long; 0.2–0.8 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets free at tip. Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; gibbous (margins); lanceolate in profile; 1.6–2.2 mm long; membranous; yellow, or dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct, or prominent. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform, or oblong; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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