Sporobolus fourcadei

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms 25–40 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 8–35 cm long; 4–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–40 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches spreading; 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; 2–2.6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.33 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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