Eragrostis viguieri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; smooth; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 4–6 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 8–10 cm long; 0.8–1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 1–2.5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 9–11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5–6 mm long; 1.2–1.6 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas. Rhachilla internodes 1.5–1.7 mm long; glabrous.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.2 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–1.6 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 ovate; 1.8–2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1.5 mm long. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Camus 2007.

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