Eriochloa sericea

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–10; borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 1.5–3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis villous. Rhachis angular; villous on surface. Rhachis hairs 2–4 mm long. Spikelet packing regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; villous; with 1–2 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 3.6–4.2 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 acute.

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; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.3–0.5 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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