Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis sessilispica Buckley

First published in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 14: 97 (1862)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Central U.S.A. to NE. Mexico. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 30-90 cm long; 1 -noded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 10-30 cm long; 1-3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole. Panicle open; ovate; 25-65 cm long; 10-25 cm wide; 0.5 of culm length; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; distant; simple; 3-30 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff; bearing distant spikelets; scabrous; bearded in axils. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 5-12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or oblanceolate; laterally compressed; 5-12.5 mm long; 2-3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret (tardily). Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 5-12 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or oblanceolate; laterally compressed; 5-12.5 mm long; 2-3 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla deciduous; disarticulating below each fertile floret (tardily). Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2-6 mm long; 0.66-1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 3-6 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 3-5 mm long; 2-4 mm wide; cartilaginous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma lateral veins prominent. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea bowed outwards; cartilaginous. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.25 mm long.
Distribution
North America: north-central USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Gr Texas 1994.
[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

  • 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