Eragrostis lepida

HABIT Annual. Culms 10–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–10 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; 3–10(–15) cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–10 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 2.2–3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.6–0.9 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.9–1.1 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma oblong; (0.8–)1.1–1.2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex truncate; mucronate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels tuberculate; pectinate (hairs 0.3–0.4mm). Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 2; 0.1–0.15 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. TAC.

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