Eragrostis japonica

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 10–150 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.6 mm long; lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades 3–30 cm long; 1–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate, or ovate; 4–50 cm long; contracted about secondary branches. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 3–14 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 1.3–2.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–0.7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.4–0.7 mm long; 0.6–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 0.7 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels smooth, or scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.3–0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Africa: north, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. North America: north-central USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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