Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis poculiformis Cope

First published in Kew Bull. 55: 487 (2000)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms erect; 12-25 cm long. Culm-internodes eglandular. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths eglandular; without keel; pilose (above); with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute (loosely); 2-4 cm long; 1.5 mm wide; eglandular. Leaf-blade surface pilose; with tubercle-based hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; elliptic, or oblong; 6-15 cm long. Primary panicle branches not whorled; sterile at the tips. Panicle branches flexible; flexuous; eglandular; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; bearded in axils; with insignificant pulvini. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous; 5-9 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 6-14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; subterete; 3.5-5 mm long; 1.8-2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 6-14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; subterete; 3.5-5 mm long; 1.8-2.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate (narrowly); 1.1-1.3 mm long; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate (narrowly); 0.6-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile florets divergent; free at tip. Fertile lemma elliptic (broadly); 1-1.3 mm long; membranous; mid-green, or grey; without keel. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins pilose. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea bowed outwards; 0.4-0.5 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged (above); conspicuously winged (above); scabrous; ciliate; adorned above. Palea surface pilose; hairy on margins. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.3-0.4 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.6 mm long.
Distribution
Africa: east tropical.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Cope 2000.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0