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

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

  • 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

    • 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0