Eragrostis laniflora

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly; woolly. Butt sheaths woolly. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long; wiry. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches simple, or sparsely divided.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–62 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; straight, or curved; laterally compressed; 6–22 mm long; 2–3.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 2–3 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins woolly; hairy below. Lemma apex emarginate. Palea keels woolly; adorned below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr C Austral 1994.

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