Eragrostis lingulata

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–30 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or elliptic; dense; 6–15 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 10–100 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 7–35 mm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets falling as a whole. Rhachilla internodes definite.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.6–3.2 mm long; 1–1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets divergent; imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 2.5–2.7 mm long; membranous; dark brown, or purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.1–0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 0.3–0.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FWTA.

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