Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis airoides Nees

First published in C.F.P.von Martius, Fl. Bras. Enum. Pl. 2: 509 (1829)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Colombia to Venezuela, Bolivia to Brazil and N. Argentina. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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. 1000 - 2000 m.; Andes.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 1000–2000 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Cauca, Norte de Santander, Valle del Cauca.
Habit
Herb.
[UPFC]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Culms robust; 50-100 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 20-70 cm long; 3-6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Panicle open; oblong; effuse; 30-50 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; bearded in axils. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising (1-)2(-3) fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension, or with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 1.5-2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising (1-)2(-3) fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension, or with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 1.5-2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas. Rhachilla internodes pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.7 mm long; 0.7-0.8 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 ovate; 0.75-1 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; 1.1-1.3 mm long; membranous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.2-0.3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or orbicular; isodiametric; 0.5-0.7 mm long; dark brown; reticulate.
Distribution
South America: Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Fl Pat 1995.
[GB]

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]

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

  • 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 2025. 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 2025. 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