Eragrostis rejuvenescens

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths woolly; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms slender; 6–20 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 1–5 cm long; 0.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate, or globose; 3–5 cm long. Panicle branches secund.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels glandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 6–8 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–1.8 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC 1993.

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