Eriochloa succincta

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–50 cm long. Culm-internodes glaucous; distally pilose. Leaf-sheaths pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 1–10 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Racemes 3–6; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1–4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 10–20 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged; angular. Spikelet packing regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 1–2 mm long; pubescent.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3 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; muticous.

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; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; pubescent; mucronate. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: eastern. Asia-temperate: Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, and western Asia.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Iran 1993.

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