Eriochloa fatmensis

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–30 cm long; 2–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–20 cm long. Rhachis wingless, or narrowly winged; angular; puberulous on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; setose.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; (2.5–)3–5 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; (2.5–)3–5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–4 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; pubescent; attenuate; awned. Awn of lower sterile floret 0.2–3 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–3 mm long; indurate; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface punctate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.3–1 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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