Spring grass

Eriochloa procera

Caespitose perennial to c. 0.8 m high.

Leaves with sheath smooth, glabrous; ligule c. 0.75 mm long; blade 1–5 mm wide.

Inflorescence 6–15 cm long, with c. 5–25 racemes 1.5–4 cm long, spikelets neatly and closely arranged, solitary or paired, the longer of each pair to 2 mm long, with several to rather numerous fine white hairs from the upper part. Spikelets not or scarcely aristulate, 3–3.75 mm long, pale green with the basal bead-like internode thinly clothed for 75% of its length with appressed fine white hairs. Lower glume minute, cupular around the basal internode; upper the shape and size of the spikelet, faintly 5-nerved. Sterile lemma similar to but slightly shorter than the upper glume, acute, 5-nerved. Fertile floret c. 2.5 mm long, with a mucro c. 0.5 mm long.