Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis setifolia Nees

First published in London J. Bot. 2: 419 (1843)
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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes absent, or short. Butt sheaths glabrous, or sparsely hairy. Culms 22-45 cm long; wiry; 3-6 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades erect, or ascending; flat, or involute; 4-13 cm long; 1-2 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate, or ovate; 7-10 cm long; 1.2-2.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1.5 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 10-30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 10-20 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 10-30 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear, or oblong; laterally compressed; 10-20 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.7-0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 0.7-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 1.25-1.75 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. 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; oblong, or ovoid; 0.9 mm long.
Distribution
Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Gr C Austral 1994.
[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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 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 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