Eriochloa grandiflora

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–150 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–30 cm long; 8–15 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle pubescent above.

Racemes 4–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 8–25 cm long. Rhachis angular; pubescent on surface; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1 mm long; villous; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 7–8 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. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy above. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; pubescent; hairy above; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 4–4.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; pubescent; muticous. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC 1994.

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