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ERAGROSTIS minor Host [family POACEAE]

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, Part (Part 2), page 177, (1974) Author: W. D. CLAYTON, S. M. PHILLIPS AND S. A. RENVOIZE
Names
ERAGROSTIS minor Host [family POACEAE], ,Gram. Austr. 4: 15 (1809); Peter, F.D.O.-A. 1: 335 (1931). Clayton in F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 3: 390 (1972). Type: Italy, Baeck (LINN, holo.!) Poa eragrostis L. [family POACEAE], Sp. Pl.: 68 (1753). Type: as for species Eragrostis pooides P. Beauv. [family POACEAE], Ess. Agrost.: 162 (1812) as “ poaeoides ”; G.T.: 32 (1965). Based on Poa eragrostis L. Eragrostis multiflora Chiov. var. pappiana [family POACEAE], . in Ann. Ist. Bot. Roma 8: 65 (1903). Types: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zaga-Tata, Papp 2913 & Saati, Pappi 2868 & Afta, Pappi 2874 & many other syntypes (all FI, syn.!) Eragrostis pappiana (Chiov.) Chiov. [family POACEAE], in Ann. 1st. Bot. Roma 8: 371 (1908)
Information
Loosely tufted annual; culms 6–60 cm. high, ascending. Leaf-blades flat, up to 12 cm. long, 5 mm. wide, mostly glabrous and usually with a row of warty glands along the margin. Panicle ovate, 4–20 cm. long, fairly dense to open, stiffly branched with short pedicels (lateral pedicels 1–3 mm.), with or without glands on pedicels and branchlets. Spikelets 6–16(–40)-flowered, narrowly oblong or sometimes linear, 3–9(–15) mm. long, 1.3–2 mm. wide, yellowish green, leaden grey or purplish, breaking up from the base; glumes subequal, ovate, boat-shaped, 1–1.7 mm. long, 1–3-nerved, often glandular on the keel, acute; lemmas broadly ovate to subrotund, 1.5–2 mm. long, chartaceous, often glandular on the keel, the lateral nerves distinct, obtuse; palea ± scabrid on the keels, persistent; anthers 3, 0.3 mm. long. Caryopsis broadly oblong, 0.7–0.8 mm. long, dark brown.
Range
DISTR. K1, 4, 5, 7; T2–4, 6, 7 warm temperate and subtropical regions of the Old World; occasionally found as an introduction in the tropics and the New World
Altitude range
900–1300 m.
Distribution
KENYA Kiambu District Limuru, 27 May 1959, McCallum Webster K.174!KENYA Teita District Tsavo National Park West, Murka Mine Camp, 15 July 1966, Gilbert C.3 !KENYA Mombasa, 1 Dec. 1951, Bogdan 3331 !TANZANIA Moshi, 1 Sept. 1929, Hitchcock 24543!TANZANIA Ufipa District Muse Camp, 19 Mar. 1959, McCallum Webster T.174 !TANZANIA Iringa, Emson 479 !
Notes
Eragrostis minor intergrades with E. cilianensis, being distinguished by the narrower oblong (rather than ovate) spikelets, shorter lemmas, more open panicle and broadly oblong grain, but no single character can be relied upon to separate the species. For the present purpose grain shape has been taken as decisive in doubtful cases, thus limiting the East African representation of the species to a few, apparently introduced, specimens.  Yet another species, E. procumbens Nees, occurs in South Africa, being distinguished from E. minor by the narrower leaf-blades, contracted panicle, acute lemmas and light brown oblong grain. Several East African specimens mimic the habit of E. procumbens, but have the characteristic dark brown globose grain of E. cilianensis, and have been included in the latter species.
ERAGROSTIS minor Host [family POACEAE]
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