Sporobolus africanus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths papery. Culms erect; 30–110 cm long; 1.5–3 mm diam. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 20–40 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted, or spiciform; linear; 10–35 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed; 1–2 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; (1.5–)2.1–2.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.4–0.7 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; dark green; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; (1.5–)2.1–2.8 mm long; membranous; dark green; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6–0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; quadrangular; (0.8–)1.1–1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, middle Atlantic ocean, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, northwestern, and north-central.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Grain truncate.

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