Eragrostis racemosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pubescent; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths, or fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 9–80 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 6–10(–30) cm long; 2–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; ovate; 2–14 cm long; contracted about secondary branches, or with spikelets clumped along branches. Panicle branches stiff.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–16(–40) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate, or orbicular; laterally compressed; 3–10(–15) mm long; 1.5–4.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–2.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–2.8 mm long; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets imbricate to tip. Fertile lemma ovate, or orbicular; 1.7–2.8 mm long; chartaceous; dark green; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7–1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 0.5–0.7 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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