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 gardneri

HABIT Perennial. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–70 cm long; 4 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10–20 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; coriaceous; glaucous. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; smooth. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle smooth; glabrous.

Panicle open; oblong; 5–9 cm long; 1–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–3.8 cm long. Panicle branches smooth; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–8 mm long; tip widened.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 7.5–10 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus 0.7 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes oblique; persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 7–10 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 11–15 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface hispidulous; with tubercle-based hairs. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 7–10 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; cartilaginous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 11–15 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume surface hispidulous; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 7.5–10 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface with 2 longitudinal grooves; villous; hairy below. Lemma margins involute; eciliate. Lemma apex acuminate; scabrous; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels smooth. Palea surface pilose; hairy on back; hairy below. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid; with excurrent keel veins.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.6–0.7 mm long. Anthers 3; 2.5–4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; obovoid; 3–5 mm long; obtuse.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eriachneae. Lazarides 1995.

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