Sporobolus cordofanus

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 8–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–12 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 2–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes.

Spikelets 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; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 0.2–0.6 mm long; 0.2–0.3 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1.6–2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; dark green, or grey; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

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

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7–1.1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.6–0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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