Eragrostis trichodes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–160 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–40 cm long; 1–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; effuse; 35–55 cm long; 7–30 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 7–20 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; sinuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 5–15 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–18 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or ovate; laterally compressed; 4–10 mm long; 1.5–3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.8–4 mm long; 1–1.2 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.8–3.4 mm long; 0.75–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.4–3.4 mm long; membranous; yellow and red; mottled with last colour; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular, or square; 0.7–1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: north-central. North America: northwest USA, north-central USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Texas 1993.

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