Info
Subfamily: Chloridoideae
Genus etymology: Eragrostis = "love grass" [Greek] unclear origin, other etymologies such as "early grass" or "very grass" have also been speculated
Species etymology: leptophylla = "narrow leaf" [Latin] refering to the leaves
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: endemic
Map
Inflorescence
Plant
Spikelets
Collar
Description
Perennials; culms densely tufted, erect, slender, 6-10 dm tall, glabrous. Sheaths longer than internodes, 5-10 cm long, pilose at throat and ciliate on margins, somewhat pubescent on collar, otherwise glabrous; ligule 0.2-0.5 mm long, ciliate; blades slender, erect, involute, 10-25 cm long, 1-2 mm wide, upper surface villous near base and scaberulous near apex, lower surface glabrous. Panicles slender, spikelike, usually dense, 15-30 cm long, 0.5-0.8 cm wide, the axis and pedicels scabrous or puberulent; spikelets 4-10-flowered, 4-9 mm long, rachilla sparsely pilose; glumes subequal, narrow, 3-5 mm long, as long as or longer than first floret, keel scaberulous toward apex, the apex attenuate, first glume i-nerved, second glume 3-nerved; lemmas imbricate, concealing rachilla, 2-3 mm long, faintly 3-nerved, keel minutely ERAGROSTIS scaberulous toward apex, acute; palea 1.7- 2mm long, keels scaberulous, apex usually truncate and erose. Caryopsis dark red, narrowly ovoid, 0.7-1 mm long, finely rugose.
(Description source: O’Connor, P.J. 1990. Poaceae, pp. 1481–1604. In: Wagner W.L., Herbst D.R. & Sohmer S.H. (eds.)., Manual of the flowering plant of Hawaiʻi. Vol. 2. University of Hawaii Press & Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu )