Classification
 Subordinate Taxa
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Eleusine Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 7 (1788)
 Description

Annual or perennial tufts. Leaf-sheath strongly keeled. Ligule membranous, usually ciliate. Leaf-blade usually folded. Inflorescence of several digitate or subdigitate racemes; rachis < longest raceme, narrowly winged, bearing spikelets in 2 rows on one side, and terminating in a single spikelet. Spikelets several-flowered, imbricate; disarticulation above glumes and usually between florets; rachilla prolonged. Florets ☿. Glumes persistent, often keeled, awnless; lower 1–3-nerved; upper 1–3–(7)-nerved. Lemma strongly keeled, mem-branous, glabrous, obtuse or acute, sometimes shortly mucronate; keels sometimes thickened and containing 1–3 closely spaced subsidiary nerves. Palea < lemma, 2-keeled, keels often narrowly winged. Lodicules ± cuneate. Stamens 3. Caryopsis ellipsoid to subglobose, ± trigonous, flat or concave on hilar face, rugose; pericarp free.

[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]

 Biostatus
Exotic
Number of species in New Zealand within Eleusine Gaertn.
CategoryNumber
Exotic: Fully Naturalised2
Total2
 Bibliography
Gaertner, J. 1788: De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum. Vol. 1. Stuttgart.
Mabberley, D.J. 2008: Mabberley's plant book, a portable dictionary of plants, their classification and uses. Edition 3. Cambridge University Press.