Poaceae
Eragrostis

Eragrostis comptonii De Winter

First published in Bothalia 20: 208 (1990)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Eswatini. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

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: threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms erect; 50-110 cm long; 1-1.5 mm diam.; wiry; 4-9 -noded. Culm-internodes 10 cm long; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 30-50 cm long; 2-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation prominent; with 9-11 secondary veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade apex filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle axis smooth, or scaberulous. Panicle branches capillary. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 3-8 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 2-5 mm long; 1-1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; tough throughout, or fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately, or disarticulating into irregular segments.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-6 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 2-5 mm long; 1-1.5 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas; tough throughout, or fragile above; with the distal florets disarticulating separately, or disarticulating into irregular segments.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5 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 florets appressed to rhachilla. Fertile lemma ovate; 1.25-1.5 mm long; membranous; grey; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; 0.3 mm long; truncate. Anthers 3; 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; 0.8-1 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Africa: south.
Reference
Eragrostideae. De Winter 2002.
[GB]

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

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. 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 2024. 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