Eragrostis pilosiuscula

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 50–90 cm long; 1 mm diam. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades erect; flat, or involute; 7–18 cm long; 1.5–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 12–35 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 1 -nate; 4–6 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–10 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 12–60 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 5–25 mm long; 1.5–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes 0.5 mm long.

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

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acute. Palea bowed outwards; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.3 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Keng 1996.

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