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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sporobolus agrostoides
HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 35–140 cm long; 2–3 mm diam. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat; 20–40 cm long; 6–9 mm wide; flaccid (shiny). Leaf-blade venation distinct. Leaf-blade surface smooth.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; loose, or effuse; 15–40 cm long; contracted about secondary branches. Primary panicle branches naked below. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.
Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.6–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–1.3 mm long; 0.5–0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; 0.75–0.8 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; 1.6–2 mm long; membranous; dark green; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.7 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, and east tropical.
NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.