Eustachys tenera

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms 20–45 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths 1–3.5 cm long; keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1.5–4 cm long; 5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–5; digitate; unilateral; 3–4 cm long. Rhachis angular; scabrous on margins. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets pectinate; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; 1.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.8 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex truncate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 1.2 mm long; chartaceous; dark brown; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy all along. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea obovate; 1 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; elliptic; 0.5 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas obtuse.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia.

NOTES Cynodonteae. Gilliland.

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