Eragrostis propinqua

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Culms erect; slender; 10–35 cm long. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–6 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 5–11 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; indistinct the panicle almost racemose, or simple; 1–3 cm long.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels 1–10 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 8–24 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.25–1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 1.8–2 mm long; membranous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1–1.25 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Masc 2006.

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