Eriachne avenacea

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–52 cm long; 3–6 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or hispid. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 10–20 cm long; 1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hispid; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or oblong, or ovate; 2.5–7 cm long; 0.5–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 0.4–3 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 4–30 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 4.8–9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 9–13 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or hispid; hairy between veins. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4.8–8 mm long; membranous; without keels; 9–13 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or hispid; hairy between veins. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 4.5–9 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface pilose; hairy at base. Lemma margins involute; ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1.8–4 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous. Palea surface pilose; hairy at base. Palea apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 2.5–4.3 mm long; light brown; obtuse.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eriachneae. Fl Kimb 1994.

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