Eragrostis leptostachya

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped moderately. Glands annular. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–25 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate; 15–30 cm long; 2–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending; 4–8 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–6 mm long; glandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–1.3 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.2 mm long; membranous; dark green, or grey; shiny; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1 mm long; dark brown, or red.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia. Pacific: south-central and north-central.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Wagner 1993.

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