Eragrostis subtilis

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths hirsute. Culms slender; 50–60 cm long; 4–5 -noded. Culm-internodes eglandular. Leaf-sheaths tight; wider than blade at the collar; eglandular; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded; 3–4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.8–1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute, or convolute; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially; pilose, or hirsute; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; eglandular; scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle eglandular.

Panicle open; ovate; loose, or effuse; 20–30 cm long; 7–14 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading, or drooping; distant; 4–8 cm long. Panicle axis eglandular. Panicle branches stiff; eglandular; smooth; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–8 mm long; eglandular.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; subterete; 4–4.5 mm long; 0.3–0.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes curved; 0.3–0.5 mm long; obscured by lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume linear, or lanceolate; 0.8–1 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline, or membranous; without keels, or 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex emarginate, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.8–1 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline, or membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 0.9–1 mm long; membranous; keeled; lightly keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure; stopping well short of apex. Lemma apex emarginate, or obtuse. Palea with flaps narrower than body; 1 length of lemma; hyaline; 2 -veined. Palea keels falling well short of apex; smooth, or scaberulous; adorned above. Palea apex emarginate, or obtuse. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.1–0.2 mm long; retained within floret, or eventually exserted.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong, or obovoid; dorsally compressed; 0.4–0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Lazarides 1997.

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