Eragrostis sennii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 8–15 cm long; 2–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 5–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–32 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 8–18 mm long; 4 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 4 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile florets recurved at tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels thickened; winged; narrowly winged. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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