Eriochloa setosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 15–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; 5–15 cm long; 0.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 2–4; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–2 cm long; bearing 5–8 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 1–6 cm long. Rhachis angular; glabrous on surface.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5–1 mm long; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3.5 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. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; pubescent; attenuate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Man Gr WI 1994.

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