Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis seminuda Trin.

First published in Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg, Sér. 6, Sci. Math. 1: 406 (1830)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Brazil to NE. Argentina. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 15-50 cm long; 1-2 -noded. Leaf-sheaths 2-15 cm long; hirsute. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.1-0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5-20 cm long; 1-3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate, or obovate; 10-30 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at lower nodes; 10-16 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous; with scattered hairs, or glabrous. Panicle branches bearded in axils. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 3-4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 1.7-3.8 mm long; 1.2-1.7 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose; hairy at tip.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 3-4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 1.7-3.8 mm long; 1.2-1.7 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes pilose; hairy at tip.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.1-1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.7-2.2 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 2-2.5 mm long; membranous; mid-green, or grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins obscure. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy in the middle. Lemma hairs 0.5-1 mm long. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea keels scabrous; adorned below. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.3-0.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; sulcate on hilar side; 0.5-1 mm long; dark brown; reticulate.
Distribution
South America: Brazil and southern South America.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Boech & Valls 1995.
[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