Eragrostis monticola (Gaudich.) Hillebr.

kalamālō


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: monticola = "mountain dweller" [Latin] refering to the habitat
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: endemic

Map

 Distribution of Eragrostis monticola in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Eragrostis monticola Inflorescence
Eragrostis monticola Inflorescence
Eragrostis monticola Inflorescence

Plant

Eragrostis monticola Plant
Eragrostis monticola Plant
Eragrostis monticola Plant

Spikelets

Eragrostis monticola Spikelets
Eragrostis monticola Spikelets
Eragrostis monticola Spikelets
Eragrostis monticola Spikelets

Description

Perennials; culms in dense tufts, slender, erect or spreading, 10-30 cm tall. Leaves primarily toward base of culms; sheaths glabrous, pilose at throat; ligule a fringe of hairs ca. 0.2 mm long; blades 5-15 cm long, 1-2 mm wide, usually involute, upper surface scabrous, lower surface glabrous, apex attenuate to a slender point. Inflorescences paniculate, erect, narrow and spike-like, often somewhat interrupted, 5-15 cm long, usually less than 1 cm wide, the branches short and appressed, the lower ones 1-2 cm long; spikelets usually 6-8-flowered, ca. 5 mm long, rachilla glabrous; glumes 2-3 mm long, apex acuminate, first glume often longer than first lemma; lemmas imbricate, scarcely exposing rachilla, ca. 2 mm long, glabrous, apex obtuse; palea nearly as long as glumes, keel scabrous. Caryopsis reddish brown, ovoid to oblong, 0.7-1 mm long, surface punctate-striate.
(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 )