Eragrostis sambiranensis

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 30–100 cm long; 2.5 mm diam.; woody (at base). Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; without keel. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10–17 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 18–25 cm long; 3–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate; 8–12 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 10–25 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 4–6(–9) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; 3.2–3.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas. Rhachilla internodes 0.9–1 mm long; eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 2.5 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 3–3.2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2.5–2.7 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 0.9 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Camus 2007.

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