Eragrostis lepidobasis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; 35–75 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes eglandular. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths eglandular; without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 5–9 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; eglandular. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 2.5–6.5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches appressed; distant; indistinct the panicle almost racemose. Panicle branches eglandular; glabrous in axils; with insignificant pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels straight; 2–3 mm long; eglandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; 2.5–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2.6–2.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.6–2.8 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent. Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 3 mm long; cartilaginous; dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels pubescent. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Cope 1996.

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