Sporobolus clandestinus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pilose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long; 1–2 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths without keel. Leaf-sheath oral hairs lacking, or ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–25 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf, or enclosed.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 5–10 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 5–7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3–4.2 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4–5 mm long; membranous; mid-green and purple; mottled with last colour; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute, or acuminate. Palea 1.2–2 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back and on flanks.

FLOWER Anthers 2.5–2.8 mm long; orange.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 2–3 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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