Sporobolus atrovirens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 10–40 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades tapering towards tip; 2–5 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; effuse; 5–15 cm long; 2–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; bearing congested spikelets.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 0.9–1.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.25–0.3 mm long; 0.33 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.7–0.8 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 0.9–1.3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 0.7–0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.

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