Eragrostis perennans

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 20–120 cm long; 1–2 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–30 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–30 cm long; 3–12 cm wide. Panicle branches scaberulous; glabrous in axils, or bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–5 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 7–28 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–18 mm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes 0.7 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–1.8 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–3 mm long; membranous; pallid, or purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea bowed outwards; 1.5–2 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 0.8–1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China. Asia-tropical: Indo-China.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Keng 1996.

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