Eriochloa subulifera

HABIT Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms geniculately ascending; 40–60 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths loose; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–8 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous, or pubescent above.

Racemes 4–9; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1.8–3.5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–9 cm long; puberulous. Rhachis angular; 0.2–0.5 mm wide.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2.5 mm long; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus globular; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; 0.25 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 2.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 1–1.5 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.5 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Stapf 2001.

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