Eragrostis neesii

HABIT Perennial; short-lived; caespitose; clumped densely. Basal innovations intravaginal. Glands annular. Culms 7–30 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 3–12 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; dense, or loose; 3–11 cm long; 1.5–4.5 cm wide. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels eglandular, or glandular; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 2–8 mm long; 1–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.7–1 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; membranous; purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 2; 0.3–0.4 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid, or orbicular; 0.5–0.6 mm long. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Entre Rios 1995.

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