Eustachys glauca

HABIT Perennial. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; robust; 70–150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 15–30 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 10–20; digitate; unilateral; 7–12 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on surface; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.3 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1.5–1.9 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex lobed; 2 -fid; obtuse; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn oblique; 0.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; coriaceous; dark brown, or black; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; oblong; 1.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas truncate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Cynodonteae. WDC.

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