Eragrostis hirticaulis

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 40–50 cm long; 4–6 -noded. Culm-internodes eglandular; distally glabrous, or hirsute. Leaf-sheaths tight; longer than adjacent culm internode; eglandular; hirsute; with simple hairs and tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Collar bearded. Leaf-blades curled; involute; 2–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; hirsute; with simple hairs and tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins eglandular.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle eglandular; pilose above, or hirsute above.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 13–16 cm long; 1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 0.5–1 cm long. Panicle axis eglandular; pilose, or hirsute. Panicle branches eglandular; smooth, or scabrous; pilose, or hirsute; with simple hairs and tubercle-based hairs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile, or pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2.5 mm long; eglandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 0–1 basal sterile florets; 13–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or ovate; laterally compressed; 5.5–8 mm long; 2–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes thickened; curved; 0.3–0.4 mm long.

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

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea; separately deciduous. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; 1–3 -veined. Fertile florets all similar in size. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or elliptic; 2–2.3 mm long; membranous, or cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or granulose. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate. Palea elliptic; with flaps narrower than body; membranous, or cartilaginous; 2 -veined. Palea keels thickened; scaberulous. Palea apex scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.6 mm long; retained within floret, or eventually exserted.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ovoid, or orbicular; isodiametric; 0.3–0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1997.

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