Eragrostis mahrana

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming. Rootstock evident. Culms 10–30 cm long; woody. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaves distichous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 0.5–3 cm long; 1–2.5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; pubescent; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–7 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; straight, or curved; laterally compressed; 4–14 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating into irregular segments.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 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; 1.9–2.6 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1–1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1–1.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. TAC.

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