382 



(61) ERAGROSTIS Host. 



Panicles various, usually open. Spikelets usually densely many-flow- 

 ered. Flowering glumes imbricate, strongly 3-nerved, keeled, acute. 



Species about 126 in all warm countries; about 10 in tbe Philippines. 



LRhaehilla of spikelets more or less jointed and breaking up from 

 above downward. (Sect. Oataci.antok. ) 



2. Flowering glumes strongly acuminate ( I ) /<:. UuiocUtdC 



2. Flowering glumes acute or obtuse. 



3. Panicles L0 cm. long or less. 



4. Panicles open, rather lax (2) K. tenclla 



4. Panicles dense, spike-like, densely flowered ; 



culm viscid below the panicle (8) K. iriaoOM 



8. Panicles 20 to 40 cm. in length. 



4. Puilclfl branches whorled, scarcely branched 



from the base; spikelets 6 to 10 flowered... (4) K. itttvrvupta 

 4. Panicle branches whorled and branched from 

 the base, the branchlets capillary ; spikelets 



5-flowered or less (5) !•'. japonica 



1 . Uliac hilla of spikelet tough, persistent; flowering glumes falling 

 away from its base upward. (Sect. Ptkrokska. ) 



2. Spikelets flat, elliptical-ovate, the lateral nerves of the 



flowering glumes very prominent (6) /•.'. UtliottAdeM 



2. Spikelets linear to linear-oblong, compressed ; nerves of the 

 flowering glume prominent or not. 



8. Panicle branches elongated, spreading or ascending. 



4. Annua] ; spikelets pale (7) S. dislans 



4. Perennial ; spikelets plumbeous. 



5. Panicles about 20 cm. long ; branches 



ascending (8) E. cUu/aiil ula 



5. Panicles lo cm. long or less; branches 



usually divaricately spreading (9) K. elongtUa 



:'.. Panicle branches short, appressed, densely flowered 

 throughout, giving the panicle a spiciform appear- 

 ance (10) E. sparliimiilcs 



(1) Eragrostis lasioclada .Merrill, sp. now g Cataclastos. 



Perennis; culmis erectis, ad 70 cm. alt is, 3-nodis, simplicibus; vaginis 

 quam internodiis brevioribus, marginibus sparse longe-pilosis ; laminis 

 anguste Linearibus, acuminatis. 15—20 cm. Longis, 2—3 mm. Latis; pani- 

 culis oblongis, ad 15 cm. longis, rhachi ramie ramulis pedicellibusque 

 sparse longe-pilosis, ra mis inferioribus ad 1 cm. Longis, erectis vel ascen- 

 dentibus; Bpiculis oblongis, 6— 1 mm. longis, 1 mm. latis, ad 5-floris; 

 glumis sterilibus inaequalibus, 1-nervis, acutis vel acuminatis; glumis 

 fertilibus 2.5-3.5 mm. longis, subulato-acnminatis. 



A tufted erect perennial grass, the culms about 70 cm. tall, slender, 

 simple, glabrous or Blightly pi lost'; nodes lb glabrous. Sheaths shorter 

 than the internodes, compressed, the margins Blightly long^-pilose ; ligule 

 short, truncate; blades narrowly linear, plane or involute, acuminate, 



rigid, 15 to 20 cm. long, 2 to ;> mm. wide, Blightly Long-pilose, becoming 



glabrous. Panicles oblong, strict, narrow, ahout 15 cm. long, 1 lo 2 cm. 

 in diameter, the lower branches 4 cm. long, ascending or erect, the 

 branches, hranchlets, and pedicels with scattered long white hairs. Spike- 

 lets oblong, pale or purplish, about 5-flowered, 6 to T nun. long. 1 mm. 



