Eriochloa lemmonii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms decumbent; weak; 20–60(–100) cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 3–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–8; borne along a central axis; erect, or ascending; unilateral; 2–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 6–18 cm long; villous. Rhachis angular; villous on surface. Rhachis hairs 4 mm long. Spikelet packing regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; villous; with 1.5–3 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–6 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 pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate, or attenuate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; pubescent; acuminate, or attenuate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface reticulate. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.3–0.5 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA and Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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