Eragrostis membranacea

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect; 60–110 cm long. Culm-nodes black. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glandular. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 2–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 15–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 3–15 mm long; 1.9–4 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; shiny. Lower glume ovate; 1.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; cartilaginous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma orbicular, or oblate; 2.5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; shiny; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels smooth, or scaberulous; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.8–1.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1–1.3 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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