Eragrostis pygmaea

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 4–7 cm long; 1–3 -noded. Culm-internodes distally pilose. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs and capitate hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1–2 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides; pilose; hairy abaxially; with tubercle-based hairs and capitate hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 2–4 cm long; 1–1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed to spreading; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches glandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–16 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; 1–1.25 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.75 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1–1.25 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5 mm long; 1 mm wide; membranous; pallid, or mid-green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.6 length of lemma. Palea keels scabrous; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; oblong; 0.2 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; light brown. Embryo 0.9 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. De Winter 1993.

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