Eragrostis trimucronata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths woolly. Culms erect; 60–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 12–45 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear, or oblong; 20–45 cm long; with spikelets clumped along branches. Primary panicle branches distant; simple; 2–9 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile (subtended by bristles).

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2.2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2.2 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.2–2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins excurrent. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex truncate; mucronate; 3 -awned (mucros). Palea keels tuberculate; ciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Palea hairs 0.6–0.7mm.

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