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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.
Eriachne basalis
HABIT Annual. Butt sheaths sparsely hairy. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 35–60 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths tight; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades involute, or convolute; 10–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; papillose; glabrous, or pilose.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Axillary inflorescences present in lower axils. Peduncle scaberulous above.
Panicle open; oblong; 10–12 cm long; 3–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–5 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous; pubescent in axils, or bearded in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 5–11 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 5–5.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus 0.3–0.5 mm long; bearded; obtuse.
GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, or oblong; 4.8–8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 11–13 -veined. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acuminate, or cuspidate. Upper glume elliptic, or oblong; 4.8–8 mm long; 1–1.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 11–13 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acuminate, or cuspidate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 5–5.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma lateral veins thickened. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below; inner surface pubescent. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; scabrous; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn curved; flat below; 18 mm long overall. Palea elliptic; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface pilose; hairy below. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid; scaberulous.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.6–2 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 2 mm long; truncate. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Eriachneae. Lazarides 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
