Eragrostis hispida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 12–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; 6–15 cm long; 0.5–1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle, or composed of racemes.

Panicle open; ovate; 1–10 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches sterile at the tips. Panicle branches glabrous, or pilose.

Racemes borne along a central axis; bearing few fertile spikelets. Rhachis terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 2.5–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–4.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–4.5 mm long; 0.7–1.4 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 2–3.3 mm long; membranous; dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous to pilose. Lemma margins pubescent, or pilose, or eciliate (rarely). Lemma hairs grey. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea keels tuberculate; ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.3 mm long.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Palea hairs 0.7–1.5mm.

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