Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis prolifera (Sw.) Steud.

First published in Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 177 (1854)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical & Subtropical America, W. Tropical Africa to Angola. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is has environmental uses.

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: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18942466/89587721

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Caribbean. Elevation range: 0–500 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Atlántico, Bolívar, San Andrés y Providencia, Sucre.
Habit
Herb.
Conservation
IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: savanna, wetlands (inland).
[UPFC]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 500 m.; Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 60-150 cm long. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaves cauline. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 5-20 cm long; 1-3 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; oblong; dense; 7-17 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1-4 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 8-30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4-15 mm long; 1.5-2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 8-30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 4-15 mm long; 1.5-2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1-1.2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1-1.2 mm long; 0.7-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile florets free at tip. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.3-1.7 mm long; membranous; mid-green, or dark brown; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 0.6-0.8 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.6-0.7 mm long.
Distribution
Africa: Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, and southern tropical. North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.
Reference
Eragrostideae. WDC.
[GB]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 100-200 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface to pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2-0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 40-60 cm long; 6-8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate; 45-50 cm long; 20-30 cm wide. Primary panicle branches bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glabrous in axils. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 5-15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; 5-10.5 mm long; 1.5-2.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 5-15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; laterally compressed; 5-10.5 mm long; 1.5-2.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2-2.7 mm long; 0.75-1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2-3.2 mm long; 0.9-1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 2.2-3.2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein scabrous. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.8-1 length of lemma. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 0.7-1 mm long; pallid, or purple.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; trigonous; sulcate on hilar side; 1-1.2 mm long; obtuse.
Distribution
North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Fl Meso-Am 1995.
[GB]

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit
Coarse tufted perennial with hard rigid culms, 90–120 cm. high
Morphology Leaves
Leaves mostly cauline, somewhat glaucous
Morphology Roots
Roots clothed in a dense sheath of hairs
Ecology
Coastal and inland sands.
[FWTA]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Tufted perennial with strong erect culms up to 1.5 m tall
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades elongate, 2–5 mm broad; sheaths glabrous or sparsely pilose at summit
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicles 25–50 cm long, loosely flowered
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets short-pedicellate, 5–10 mm long, 10–25-flowered; lemmas 1.5–1.8 mm long.
Distribution
Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac. West Indies.
[Cayman]

Uses

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Materials
Used as material.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible

    • ColPlantA 2021. Published on the Internet at http://colplanta.org
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • 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

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0