Eragrostis sabinae

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short. Stolons present. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 9–17 cm long; 1–2 -noded; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes glaucous. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades curved; filiform; involute; 0.5–4.5 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 2.5–6 cm long; 1–2.7 cm wide; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4–7 mm long; 0.8–1 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–1.7 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.6 mm long; membranous; dark green, or grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex entire, or erose; obtuse. Palea keels approximate; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.4–0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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