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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 benthamii
HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 45–90 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pruinose. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths tight. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty, or ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 9–18 cm long; 2–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface papillose. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; oblong; dense, or loose; 2.5–17 cm long; 1–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 3–7 cm long.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–3 mm long.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 6–10 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 to oblong; 3.5–9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous, or cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex obtuse to acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate to oblong; 3.5–9 mm long; 0.6–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous, or cartilaginous; with scarious margins; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse to acuminate.
FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; laterally compressed; 6–10 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above; with 2 longitudinal grooves; pilose; hairy below. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0–1.8 mm long overall. Palea gaping; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Palea surface scaberulous. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.8–4 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 1.5–3 mm long; dark brown; truncate. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.
NOTES Eriachneae. Lazarides 1995.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
