Eragrostis solida

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 25–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 12–30 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or oblong, or ovate; 8–35 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Panicle branches stiff.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 10–22 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 5–15 mm long; 2.5–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above. Rhachilla internodes obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; 2.5–3 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.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Bahia 1995.

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