Sporobolus elongatus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Culms erect; 50–100 cm long; 3–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 20–50 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–25 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed; distant; 0.5–1 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.5–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5–0.7 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1–1.3 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.3–2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, and north-central.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Tothill 1993.

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