Family: Poaceae
Eriachne
Citation:
R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 183 (1810).
Derivation: Greek erion, wool; achne glume; the lemma and sometimes the glumes are hairy.
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Wanderrie grasses.
Description:
Ligule a ring of hairs.
Spikelets with 2 (rarely 1) bisexual flowers, pedicellate, in panicles; glumes 2, 7-11-nerved, persistent, membranous to scarious, rounded on the back or somewhat keeled, shorter than or as long as the lemmas; lemmas hairy on the back at least towards the base, awnless or with a terminal untwisted awn, the margins inrolled and tightly embracing the keels of the palea usually for the greater part of their length, 5-7-nerved; palea obtusely 2-keeled, more or less flat between the keels, entire or 2-fid.
Distribution:
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About 40 species, in southern Asia and Australia (about 30 in the N.T.). (Lazarides (1970) The grasses of Central Australia).
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Biology:
No text
Key to Species:
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1. Glumes hairy, lemma with an awn more or less as long as itself. |
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E. aristidea 1. |
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1. Glumes glabrous; lemma without an awn |
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2. Spikelets c. 3 mm long; small delicate annuals |
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E. pulchella 5. |
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2. Spikelets 5-10 mm long; more or less rigid perennials |
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3. Lemma recurved and in the upper part diverging from the palea, 7-9 mm long |
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E. ovata 4. |
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3. Lemma straight or incurved, usually 5-6 mm long |
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4. Base of the plant woolly |
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E. helmsii 2. |
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4. Base of the plant shortly hairy (not woolly) |
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E. mucronata 3. |
Author:
Not yet available
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