Sporobolus confinis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes elongated. Butt sheaths herbaceous; withering. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 30–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–15 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 8–15 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.6–2.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 0.7–1.2 mm long; 0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–1.9 mm long; 0.75–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; dark green; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.6–2.1 mm long; membranous; dark green; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.9–1.1 mm long.

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

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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