Sporobolus fertilis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths scarious. Culms erect; 90–160 cm long; 2–5 mm diam. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 25–50 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 15–35 cm long; 1–2 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed, or ascending; 2–4 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches stiff; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.7–2 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; 0.4 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume oblong; 1 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.7–2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; obovoid; exposed between gaping lemma and palea at maturity; 0.8–1 mm long; truncate.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: Caucasus, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, and northwestern.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gilliland.

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