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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Eriachne major

HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms erect; 45–105 cm long; wiry; 3–6 -noded. Culm-internodes striate; scaberulous; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheaths tight; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; outer margin glabrous. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades spreading; flat, or involute, or convolute; 10–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; scaberulous; glabrous, or hispid. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; glabrous, or tuberculate-ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 5.5–10 cm long; 3.5–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–4 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; scaberulous; with scattered hairs, or glabrous; bearded in axils; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 9–18 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed slightly; 4.2–5.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus 0.2–0.3 mm long; bearded.

GLUMES Glumes oblique; persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 4–4.6 mm long; 0.9 length of upper glume; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 4.2–5.3 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; cartilaginous; with hyaline margins; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 4–5 mm long; cartilaginous; much thinner on margins; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface villous; hairy below. Lemma margins involute; ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma apex acuminate; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Palea surface pilose; hairy below. Palea apex entire.

FLOWER Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 2.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or obovoid; 1.8–2 mm long; light brown. Embryo 0.25 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eriachneae. Lazarides 1995.

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