Eriochloa australiensis

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–40 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam.; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths inflated; longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 2–10 cm long; 4–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface puberulous; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–7; borne along a central axis; appressed; unilateral; 2–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 6–10 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; scaberulous on margins.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–3 mm long; scabrous; bearing a few hairs; hairy at tip; with 1–4 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 5–7 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus globular; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose; hairy below. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–5 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; pilose; hairy below; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; pubescent; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 1.5 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl NSW 1993.

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