Eragrostis lanipes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; woolly. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–50 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–10 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–20 cm long; contracted about primary branches, or contracted about secondary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; simple, or sparsely divided. Panicle branches stiff.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile, or pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; truncate; 4–6 mm long; 2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume margins ciliate (below). Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1.3–2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume margins ciliate (below). Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl W Austral 1994.

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