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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Eragrostis microsperma

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–45 cm long; 5 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; brown (pale); distally glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths loose; longer than adjacent culm internode; glandular (whitish); pilose; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.4 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 3–10 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough abaxially (especially), or on both sides; pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins eglandular. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; effuse; 15–18 cm long; 5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1 -nate. Panicle branches flexuous; eglandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 4–8 mm long; glandular (annular).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear to oblong; laterally compressed; obtuse; 4–6 mm long; 2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate, or orbicular; 1 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 obtuse. Upper glume orbicular; 1.75 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; broadly proportioned; 1.6 mm long; 1.2 mm wide; membranous; purple; shiny; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; midway between midvein and margin. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea hyaline. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 2; 1 mm long. Stigmas 2.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; biconvex; red. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Rendle 1889.

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