Home | > | List of families | > | Poaceae | > | Eustachys | > | paspaloides |
Synonyms: |
Chloris paspaloides (Vahl) Hochst. Chloris petraea Thunb. Cynosurus paspaloides Vahl Eustachys petraea (Thunb.) Desv. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial with thick horizontal or oblique rhizome, up to 80 cm tall, erect or ascending; leaf sheaths flabellate, in bunches at the lower nodes; leaf laminas 4.5–30 cm × 2–5(10) mm, abruptly acute. Inflorescence of 5–10 digitate racemes 6–8 cm long. Spikelets 2.4–2.5 mm long; inferior glume 1.6–2 mm long, ovate, boat-shaped; superior glume 1.8–2.4 mm long, oblong-elliptic, the awn 0.8–1 mm long; fertile lemma as long as the spikelet, ovate in profile, glabrous or sparsely pubescent on the body, ciliate on the keel and lateral nerves, emarginate, with or without an awn-point up to 0.8 mm long; sterile floret 1.2–1.5 mm long, truncate. |
Notes: | Favoured by grazing animals, but even when Eustachys is chewed almost to the ground the flattened leaf bases are distinctive. (K.M. Dunham & E.F. Robertson, pers. comm. 2019). |
Derivation of specific name: | paspaloides: resembling a Paspalum, another genus in Poaceae. |
Habitat: | In woodland and hillsides, on doloritic soils and in sandveld or dambos. |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in the eastern half of Africa from Ethiopia to South Africa and Namibia. Also in Arabia |
Botswana distribution: | SE |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Thursday 19 September 2019 |
Literature: |
Chapano, C. (2002). A checklist of Zimbabwean grasses Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 16. Pretoria. Page 8. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 26. Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Pages 214 - 215. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 135. Fish, L., Mashau, A.C., Moeaha, M.J. & Nembudani, M.T. (2015). Identification Guide to Southern African Grasses Strelitzia 36 South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 346. Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 41. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 105. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 130. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 138. Van Oudtshoorn, F.P. (1992). Grasses of South Africa Briza Publications, South Africa Page 234. (Includes a picture). |
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