Eragrostis muerensis Pilg.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Densely caespitose perennial; culms 90–120 cm. high, stout, erect.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades flat, 30–60 cm. long, 2–5 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle linear, contracted, 14–18 cm. long, the branches ascending and mostly 1–3 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 4–11-flowered, ovate, 5–8 mm. long, 3–5 mm. wide, yellowish green, breaking up from the base, the rhachilla persistent; glumes ovate, subequal, 3–4 mm. long, boat-shaped; lemmas very broadly ovate, 3–5–4 mm. long, thickly cartilaginous, the lateral nerves fairly clear, acute; palea smooth on the keels, persistent; anthers 3, 1–5–2 mm. long.

Figures

Fig. 61/11, p. 193.

Habitat

Wooded grassland; 300 m.

Distribution

T8

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 90-120 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 30-60 cm long; 2-5 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 14-18 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 1-3 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 4-11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5-8 mm long; 3-5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 4-11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5-8 mm long; 3-5 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; 3-4 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3-4 mm long; 0.8-1 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; 3.5-4 mm long; cartilaginous; yellow; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins distinct. Lemma apex acute. Palea keels smooth. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3; 1.5-2 mm long.

Distribution

Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

Reference

Eragrostideae. FTEA.

Gramineae, T. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:2. 1999

Morphology General Habit

Densely caespitose perennial without rhizomes or stolons; culms up to 120 cm tall, stout, erect, unbranched, glabrous at the nodes, sometimes with elongated glandular patches below the nodes; basal leaf sheaths glabrous or sometimes ciliate, chartaceous, terete, eglandular, persistent; ligule a line of hairs; leaf laminas 30–60 cm × 2–5 mm, linear, flat, pilose, eglandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle 12–18 cm long, linear, contracted with ascending branches, the spikelets condensed about the primary branches on pedicels 1–2 mm long, the primary branches not in whorls, terminating in a fertile spikelet, glabrous or pubescent in the axils, eglandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 5–8 × 3–5 mm, ovate, laterally compressed, 4–11-flowered, the lemmas disarticulating from below upwards, the rhachilla persistent; glumes subequal, 3–4 mm long, reaching to well beyond the middle of the adjacent lemmas (rarely almost to the apex), keeled, lanceolate-ovate in profile, glabrous, subacute at the apex; lemmas 3.5–4 mm long, keeled, broadly ovate in profile, cartilaginous but with fairly distinct lateral nerves, diverging from the rhachilla at c. 45°, those in opposite rows imbricate and concealing the rhachilla, yellowish-green, glabrous, acute at the apex; palea persistent, glabrous on the flanks, the keels slender, wingless, smooth or faintly scaberulous; anthers 3, 1.5–2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Caryopsis not yet seen.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/179740/1588513

Conservation

CR - critically endangered