Eragrostis humidicola

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30–110 cm long; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10–25 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 12–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–5(–7) cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 12–40 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 5–16 mm long; 1–1.8 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.7–0.8 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1–1.1 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; grey; glandular on veins (keel); keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins thickened. Lemma margins eciliate, or pilose. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; trigonous; 0.6–0.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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