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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Eragrostis vacillans
HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 8–40 cm long; 4–6 -noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1–6 cm long; 2–4 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; effuse; 2–15 cm long.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; glandular.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 3–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate, or orbicular; laterally compressed; 1.5–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 0.5–1 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.75–1.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Fertile lemma orbicular; 0.75–1.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pilose. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels eciliate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.
NOTES Eragrostideae. WDC 1993.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.