Eriochloa parvispiculata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 30–120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 8–30 cm long; 3–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 5–20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–7 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–15 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular; puberulous on surface. Spikelet packing crowded; irregular.

Spikelets in pairs, or clustered at each node. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2–4 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 2–2.5 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; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate.

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; acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.1–0.3 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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