Eragrostis rufescens

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 5–30 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 7–24 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or oblong; 3–20 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–40 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–20 mm long; 1.5–2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; 0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Bahia 1995.

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