Sporobolus airoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–150 cm long; 1–2 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty; 2–4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–45 cm long; 2–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 20–45 cm long; 15–25 cm wide.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.3–2.5(–2.8) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–1.8 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1–1.2 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.3–2.8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.5–1.7 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Arabia. North America: northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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