Eriochloa weberbaueri

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Rhizomes short. Culms 20–50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate (on uppermost leaf). Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or involute; 6–17 cm long; 2–5 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 8–15; borne along a central axis; oblong; unilateral; 1–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 7–15 cm long; pubescent. Rhachis angular; pilose on surface. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong; 0.5 mm long; villous; with 3–3.5 mm long hairs; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; 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.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or oblong; 2.7 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; muticous. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 1998.

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