Sporobolus actinocladus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths glabrous. Culms 30–45 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 3–12.5 cm long; 3–6 mm wide; light green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 5–12 cm long; 2.5–8 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at lower nodes; 1–4 cm long. Panicle branches bearing congested spikelets.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.25 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.2 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.25 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea readily splitting down midline; 1.2 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; oblong; laterally compressed; quadrangular; 0.75 mm long; light brown.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr C Austral 1994.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.