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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 nigra

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 45–90 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled; smooth, or scaberulous; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 2–4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 10–26 cm long; 3–6.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; glabrous, or pilose, or hirsute; hairy on both sides; with simple hairs, or tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 12–24 cm long; 8–16 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 5–11 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; eglandular; smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–15 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 3.5–6.25 mm long; 1.5–2.25 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes 0.5–0.75 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.75–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 2 mm long; chartaceous; dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; quadrangular; 0.5–0.75 mm long; dark brown; striate; truncate. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus and China. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Ceyl 1993.

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