Eriochrysis brachypogon

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 60–90 cm long. Culm-internodes hollow. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a fringe of hairs; erose. Leaf-blades 7–45 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–16; borne along a central axis; appressed; linear to oblong; 2–4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–14 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs red. Rhachis internodes linear. Rhachis internode tip clavate.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; the upper smaller (female). Pedicels linear; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base and with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs red; 0.3–0.5 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface flat. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex dentate; 3 -fid. Upper glume elliptic; coriaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein eciliate. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FW 1995.

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