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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Eremochloa ophiuroides

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–30 cm long; 0.8–1.2 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–10 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins glabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; unilateral; 3–6 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; flattened; glabrous on margins. Rhachis internodes columnar, or clavate; 2 mm long. Rhachis internode tip crateriform.

Spikelets appressed; in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; foliaceous; 3–4 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets represented by barren pedicels.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; compressed strongly; 4–4.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pubescent; base truncate; with central boss; attached transversely.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; 2-keeled; winged on keel; winged broadly; winged near apex; 7 -veined. Lower glume primary vein pectinately spinose. Lower glume surface convex. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume ovate; coriaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged below; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; hyaline; ciliate on margins; obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma oblong; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; hyaline.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.8–2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: Indo-China. Pacific: northwestern and north-central. North America: southeast USA. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Koyama.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Glume spines terete, 0.3–0.5mm.

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