Eriochrysis villosa

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 100–150 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths hirsute. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 14–30 cm long; 5–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes borne along a central axis; closely spaced; in a multilateral false spike; appressed; linear to ovate. Central inflorescence axis 15–22 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete. 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; 1–1.5 mm long; ciliate; with tawny hairs; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 3–4 mm long; 0.8–1 mm wide; falling entire; deciduous from the base and with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs tawny; 0.75 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume elliptic; 3–4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels. Lower glume surface flat; villous; hairy above. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume hairs tawny; 2–3 mm long. Lower glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 4 mm long; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Andropogoneae. FW 1995.

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