Sporobolus hians

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 25–50 cm long; 5–6 -noded. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs bearded. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–7 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 10–20 cm long; 10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle axis smooth, or scaberulous. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–3 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 1.6–1.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.8 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.9–1 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or obscure. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex erose; truncate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 1.5–1.7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea readily splitting down midline; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Van Schaack 2002.

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