Eragrostis scaligera

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 25–75 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades persistent, or deciduous at the ligule; flat, or involute; 4–8 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Axillary inflorescences enclosed. Peduncle 5–15 cm long.

Panicle open; ovate; 12–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 3–5 in number; ascending; 1 -nate; sparsely divided; 6–10 cm long; bearing 4–11 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches scaberulous; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–19 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 6–15 mm long; 2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.4–1.9 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.7–2.3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; grey, or purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate. Palea keels smooth. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 2; 0.35–0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 0.5–0.6 mm long; smooth.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Guiana 1995.

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