Eleusine floccifolia Spreng.

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

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/21343154/21413430

Conservation

LC - least concern

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit

Perrenial, plants growing in tight groups

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

rhizomes tough, branching

Morphology Culms

culms 20-70 cm long, ascending, surrounded at base by numerous keeled, pale leaf-sheaths

Morphology Leaves

leaf-blades conduplicate, 8-55 cm long by 2.5-5 mm wide, margins mostly smooth, scabrid near tip, upper surface pilose near ligule

Morphology Leaves Ligules

ligule a ciliolate membrane, 0.3-0.5 mm long subdigitate, composed of 2-8 slender, unilateral spikes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

spikelets in 2 rows, appressed, solitary, each comprising 4-7 fertile florets

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

glumes persistent, shorter than spikelets, dark grey

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma

lemmas narrowly elliptic, often falcate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

fruit caryopsis 0.9-1.4 mm long, elliptic-oblong, flat on hilar side, minutely rugulose.

Ecology

field margins, pasture land and roadsides on heavy clay soils. altitude 1800 - 3200 m.

Conservation

least concerned.

Phenology

Flower (march-august), fruit (july-january).

Distribution

Ethiopia, Somalia and yemen.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Densely tufted rhizomatous perennial up to 70 cm high; leaves with scattered tufts of short white hair along the margins

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence comprising 2–5(–10) slender subdigitate racemes 2.5–8.5(–12.5) cm long (usually 1 or 2 of them set below the rest)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 4- to 7-flowered, elliptic, 3.3–6.8 mm long; glumes unequal, dark olive-grey, acute, the lower 1–1.2 mm long, the upper 2.6–4.2 mm long; lemmas narrowly elliptic in profile, pale with a tinge of grey, 2.8–4.6 mm long, acute, the midnerve simple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain minutely rugulose.

Distribution

N1, 2; Ethiopia, Kenya (introduced), Arabia (Yemen)

Ecology

Altitude range 1350–2250 m.

Vernacular

Gurgor (Somali)

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms geniculately ascending; 20-70 cm long. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Lateral branches lacking (or only at lowest node). Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3-0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 8-55 cm long; 2.5-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins smooth; with tufts of hair. Leaf-blade apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 2-10; digitate; spreading, or ascending; unilateral; 2.5-12 cm long. Rhachis wingless; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 4-7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3.3-6.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 4-7 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 3.3-6.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.1-2 mm long; 0.4-0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; dark green; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 2.6-4.2 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; dark green; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Fertile lemma elliptic in profile; 2.8-4.6 mm long; membranous; mid-green and grey; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein simple. Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9-1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong; trigonous; 0.9-1.4 mm long; black; rugose.

Distribution

Europe: northern. Africa: north, northeast tropical, and east tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

Reference

Eragrostideae. FTEA.