Eriochloa tridentata

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 90–110 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 20–40 cm long; 4–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 7–20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2–6 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 8–18 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelet packing adaxial.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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 hirsute; hairy below. Upper glume apex dentate; 3 -fid.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; 5 -veined; 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 0.7–1 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Fan Arg 2004.

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