Eragrostis olida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rootstock evident. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths hirsute. Culms 17–50 cm long; wiry; 6–10(–20) -noded. Culm-internodes glandular; antrorsely scabrous; distally hirsute, or hispid; with simple hairs and tubercle-based hairs. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths tight; wider than blade at the collar; glandular; hirsute, or hispid; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty to ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Collar glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blades involute; 1–2(–8) cm long; 1–2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; viscid; aromatic. Leaf-blade surface hirsute, or hispid. Leaf-blade margins glandular; tuberculate. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle eglandular.

Panicle open; ovate; 8–15 cm long; 4–8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches simple, or sparsely divided; 2–3(–5) cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis glandular; scabrous; pilose, or hirsute; with capitate hairs. Panicle branches glandular; resinous; scabrous; pilose, or hirsute; with capitate hairs; pubescent in axils; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels eglandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–66 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4–30 mm long; 2–3.3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes thickened; zig-zag; 0.3–0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–1.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous, or cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough at apex. Lower glume apex obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 0.8–1.8 mm long; 0.5–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous, or cartilaginous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein thickened. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous; rough at apex. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.8–2 mm long; membranous, or cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins thickened; midway between midvein and margin. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above. Lemma apex emarginate, or truncate, or obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Palea orbicular, or obovate; bowed outwards; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea keels extending to apex; thickened. Palea surface scabrous and tuberculate. Palea apex scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or ovoid; dorsally compressed; stipitate; 0.6–0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1997.

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