Eragrostis papposa

HABIT Perennial; short-lived; cushion forming, or caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous. Basal innovations subterete. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff; glaucous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–10 cm long.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–18 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 3.5–11 mm long; 1 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.3–1 mm long; 0.3–0.7 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.8–1.3 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets appressed to rhachilla; free at tip. Fertile lemma elliptic, or orbicular; 1.1–1.7 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.1–0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; 0.6–1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern. Africa: north, northeast tropical, and east tropical. Asia-temperate: western Asia and Arabia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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