Eragrostis aethiopica
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Photo: Petra Ballings
Maleme Dam Rest Camp, Matobo National Park
Photo: Petra Ballings
Maleme Dam Rest Camp, Matobo National Park
Photo: Petra Ballings
Maleme Dam Rest Camp, Matobo National Park
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Eragrostis gracillima Hack. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Tufted annual grass with erect or ascending culms up to 60 cm high, hairless and without glands at the nodes; leaf sheaths hairless; ligule a line of hairs. Leaves linear, 3–20 cm long, flat or rolled in, hairless and without glands. Panicle elliptic, 6–25 cm long, open and very delicate; pedicels 2.5–7 mm long. Spikelets linear, 1.7–5 mm long, lightly laterally compressed, 6–28-flowered; glumes dorsally rounded or lightly keeled, lanceolate in profile, hairless; inferior 0.3–0.5 mm long, superior 0.6–0.8 mm long. Lemmas narrowly ovate in profile, 0.7–1 mm long, lightly keeled. |
| Type location: |
Somalia |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | aethiopica: of Ethiopia, a historic name for large parts of Africa |
| Habitat: | Floodplain grassland, seasonal pans and river banks, in alluvial soils, Kalahari Sand and clay soils; also in disturbed ground at roadsides and under cultivation. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Also in Arabia. |
| FZ divisions: | N |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Saturday 3 August 2019 |
| Literature: |
Chapano, C. (2002). A checklist of Zimbabwean grasses Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 16. Pretoria. Page 5. Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Pages 107 - 108. (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 133. 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 290. Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 38. 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 103. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 195. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 129. Poilecot, P. (2007). Eragrostis species of Zimbabwe Éditions Quae,Versailles, France Pages 124 - 125. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 136. Troupin, G. & Maquet, P. (1988). Poaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume IV Page 252. (Includes a picture). Van Oudtshoorn, F.P. (1992). Grasses of South Africa Briza Publications, South Africa Page 265. (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Eragrostis aethiopica:
Our websites:
Flora of Burundi: Eragrostis aethiopicaFlora of Malawi: Eragrostis aethiopica
Flora of Mozambique: Eragrostis aethiopica
Flora of Rwanda: Eragrostis aethiopica
Flora of Zambia: Eragrostis aethiopica
Flora of Zimbabwe: Eragrostis aethiopica
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Eragrostis aethiopicaAfrican Plant Database: Eragrostis aethiopica
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Eragrostis aethiopica
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Eragrostis aethiopica
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Eragrostis aethiopica
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iNaturalist: Eragrostis aethiopica
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Eragrostis aethiopica
JSTOR Plant Science: Eragrostis aethiopica
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Eragrostis aethiopica
Plants of the World Online: Eragrostis aethiopica
Tropicos: Eragrostis aethiopica
Wikipedia: Eragrostis aethiopica