Eriochloa punctata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 60–100 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 10–15; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 8–18 cm long. Rhachis angular; glabrous on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; unequal; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; 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 pubescent. Upper glume apex acuminate; 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; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; pubescent; acuminate; muticous. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1–1.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.5 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Malesia. Pacific: north-central. North America: south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1993.

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