Eriachne armitii

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–37 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hispid; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle hirsute above.

Panicle contracted; oblong, or ovate; 3.5–7 cm long; 2.5–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.5–1.25 cm long. Panicle axis villous. Panicle branches villous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–3.75 mm long; villous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 8.75–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous. Lower glume margins tuberculately ciliate. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate; 8.75–11 mm long; membranous; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. Upper glume margins tuberculate; ciliate. Upper glume apex setaceously attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or obovate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma surface villous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 20–25 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous. Palea surface villous. Palea apex awned; awns 3–4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1.5–2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eriachneae. Gr C Austral 1994.

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