Eriochloa michauxii

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 10–15; borne along a central axis; ascending, or spreading; unilateral; 3–5(–15) cm long. Central inflorescence axis 15–30 cm long; pubescent. Rhachis angular; pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 4–5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus globular; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; villous; acuminate; muticous. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate; pubescent; muticous, or mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0–0.3 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Paniceae. Man US Gr 1997.

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