Sporobolus cubensis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 50–70 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or involute; 30–60 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or elliptic; 8–15 cm long; 2–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at lower nodes, or whorled at most nodes.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3.1–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 1.6–2.2 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.2–3.9 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; purple; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.8–4 mm long; membranous; purple; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea gaping, or readily splitting down midline; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2–2.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; obovoid.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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