Eriochloa pacifica

HABIT Annual. Culms 20–40 cm long. Lateral branches sparse. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 4–14 cm long; 4–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.5–2.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3–6 cm long; pubescent. Rhachis angular; villous on surface.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1.5 mm long; villous; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5–6 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. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy below. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1 mm long.

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 below; attenuate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.2 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Tovar 1994.

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