Eriochrysis pallida Munro

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; caespitose. Culms 40-90 cm long. Culm-internodes thin-walled. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 6-20 cm long; 1-3 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 5-14; borne along a central axis; appressed; linear, or oblong; 1-3 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3-10 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; ciliate on margins. Rhachis hairs yellow; 4-6 mm long. Rhachis internodes linear; 2-3 mm long. Rhachis internode tip clavate. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster; the upper smaller (female). Pedicels linear; 2-3 mm long; ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5-5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base and with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs yellow, or dark brown; 1-1.2 length of spikelet.

Fertile

Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5-5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base and with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base truncate. Spikelet callus hairs yellow, or dark brown; 1-1.2 length of spikelet.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; without keels. Lower glume lateral veins obscure. Lower glume surface flat. Lower glume margins ciliate. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; coriaceous; 1-keeled. Upper glume primary vein ciliate. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; hyaline; 2 -veined; ciliate on margins. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 0 -veined. Lemma margins ciliate. Palea absent or minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Anthers 3.

Distribution

Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

Reference

Andropogoneae. FW 1995.

Gramineae, T. A. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:4. 2002

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose perennial.

Morphology Culms

Culms 30–90 cm high.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence 3–14 cm long, linear to oblong, of 3–14 racemes each 1–4 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Sessile spikelet 3.5–6 mm long, its callus barbate with tawny hairs longer than the spikelet.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet 3.5–6 mm long, its callus barbate with tawny hairs longer than the spikelet.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Inferior glume thinly coriaceous, shining, its nerves indistinct.

Inferior

Inferior glume thinly coriaceous, shining, its nerves indistinct.

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

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose perennial; culms 40–90 cm. high.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades 6–20 cm. long, 1–3 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence narrowly oblong to oblong, 3–10 cm. long, comprising 5–14 racemes; racemes 1–3 cm. long.

Sessile

Sessile spikelet narrowly elliptic, 3.5–5 mm. long, the callus bearded with tawny hairs overtopping the spikelet; lower glume thinly coriaceous, shining, the nerves indistinct, ciliate on the margins; upper glume pilose on the keel above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Pedicelled spikelet 3 mm. long. Sessile spikelet narrowly elliptic, 3.5–5 mm. long, the callus bearded with tawny hairs overtopping the spikelet; lower glume thinly coriaceous, shining, the nerves indistinct, ciliate on the margins; upper glume pilose on the keel above.

Pedicelled

Pedicelled spikelet 3 mm. long.

Habitat

In swamps; 960–2100 m.

Distribution

T7 T8 tropical and South Africa

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