Eragrostis rogersii

HABIT Annual. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–9 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 7–14 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 5–30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 6–12 mm long; 2.5–4.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 3 mm long; 0.8–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute; muticous, or mucronate. Palea keels scaberulous; eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.1 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.