Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis eriopoda Benth.

First published in Fl. Austral. 7: 648 (1878)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Australia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

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]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths woolly. Culms erect; 30-60 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes scaberulous. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades spreading; 5-10 cm long; 2-3 mm wide; stiff.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; linear, or lanceolate, or ovate; 11.5-20 cm long; 3-7.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending, or spreading, or reflexed; distant; 1 -nate; simple, or sparsely divided; 2-6.5 cm long. Panicle branches scabrous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 8-62 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; straight, or curved; laterally compressed; 6-22 mm long; 2-3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 8-62 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; straight, or curved; laterally compressed; 6-22 mm long; 2-3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.75-2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.75-2 mm long; 0.66-0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 2-3 mm long; membranous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent; midway between midvein and margin. Lemma surface smooth, or asperulous. Lemma apex emarginate. Palea obovate. Palea keels thickened; scabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 0.75 mm long.
Distribution
Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Gr C Austral 1994.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • 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