Eragrostis lanicaulis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes short; woolly. Butt sheaths woolly. Culms erect; 45–50 cm long; wiry; 5–7 -noded. Culm-internodes eglandular; distally pubescent, or hispid, or woolly. Culm-nodes swollen; pallid; glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths tight; wider than blade at the collar; eglandular; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades involute, or convolute; 2–7 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; eglandular; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle eglandular.

Panicle spiciform; linear; loose; 8–15 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2.5 cm long. Panicle axis eglandular; scaberulous. Panicle branches eglandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 17–94 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 8–46 mm long; 1.2–1.6 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes straight; 0.6 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.3–1.9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels, or 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.3–1.9 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels, or 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate, or obtuse; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.7–2 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins thickened; midway between midvein and margin. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex emarginate, or obtuse. Palea obovate, or oblanceolate; with flaps narrower than body; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea keels falling well short of apex. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex dentate; 3 -fid; obtuse; ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7–1 mm long; yellow, or purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong, or ovoid; flattened; 0.6–0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1997.

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