Sporobolus helvolus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect; 15–60 cm long; 1 mm diam.; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–15 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 4–12 cm long; 0.5–2 cm wide; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches ascending; 0.5–2 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; 1.4–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.4–2 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.4–2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; mid-green, or dark brown; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.4–2 mm long; membranous; mid-green, or dark brown; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6–0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, and east tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India and Indo-China.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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