Eragrostis planiculmis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths glabrous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect; robust; 45–170 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths eglandular. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; 10–90 cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–30 cm long; 5–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches not whorled, or whorled at lower nodes. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 4–8 mm long; 0.5–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.2 mm long; 0.75 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; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 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 florets appressed to rhachilla. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; dark green, or grey; keeled; lightly keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels approximate; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.6–1.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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