Eragrostis nutans

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths green, or purple. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–80 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 3–4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades 9–18 cm long; 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth.

Panicle spiciform; lanceolate; 10–22 cm long; 1–2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 3–6.5 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.5–3 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 5–12 mm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes 0.3 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.3 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 mm long. Palea keels scaberulous; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 0.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Ceyl 1993.

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