Sporobolus indicus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous. Culms erect; 30–100 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves basal and cauline. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate, or involute; 10–30 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted, or spiciform; linear; 10–30 cm long; 0.6–1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.8–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet; parallel to lemmas. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–1 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.9–1.3 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.4–2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; oblong; 1–1.3 mm long; obtuse.

DISTRIBUTION Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: Macaronesia and western Indian ocean. Pacific: southwestern and north-central. North America: southeast USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America. Antarctic: Subantarctic islands.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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