Eragrostis pobeguinii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths thickened and forming a bulb; yellow; glabrous. Culms erect; 20–80 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; convolute; 5–25 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 3–40 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose, or simple; 0.5–12 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–20 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 7–18 mm long; 3–5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.6–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets free at tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 3–4 mm long; chartaceous; pallid, or dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and west-central tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FWTA.

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