Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis propinqua Steud.

First published in Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 271 (1854)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mauritius. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Rhizomes absent, or elongated. Culms erect; slender; 10-35 cm long. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2-6 cm long; 1-2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 5-11 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; indistinct the panicle almost racemose, or simple; 1-3 cm long. Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels 1-10 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 8-24 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5-11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 8-24 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5-11 mm long; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1.25-1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5-2 mm long; 0.5-0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; 1.8-2 mm long; membranous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1-1.25 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 1 mm long.
Distribution
Africa: western Indian ocean.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Fl Masc 2006.
[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

  • 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

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images