GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Eragrostis patentipilosa

HABIT Perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Stolons absent, or present. Culms decumbent; 12–35 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–9 cm long; 2–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 3–9 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform (often with brownish ring at midpoint); 2–7 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–18 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 5–10 mm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.8–2.2 mm long; chartaceous; dark green; shiny; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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