Eragrostis mariae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 25–50 cm long; 3–5 -noded. Culm-internodes 4–10 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flexuous; conduplicate, or involute; 6–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic to ovate; 10–15 cm long; 4–8 cm wide. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 1.5–5 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4–10 mm long; 2.5–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2.2–2.5 mm long; 0.75 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 lanceolate; 3 mm long; 1.3 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 lanceolate, or elliptic; 2.25 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough on veins. Lemma apex dentate; 3 -fid; acute. Palea 1.8–2 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate; with hairs 0.4 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.25 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Launert 1993.

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