Sporobolus junceus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 50–100 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 13–30 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hispid; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 10–25 cm long; 3–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at most nodes; simple; 2–3.5 cm long.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3–3.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.2–3 mm long; 0.4–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; light brown; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 3–3.8 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; light brown; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.8–3.6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 1.5–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; oblong; 1.5 mm long; light brown; rugose. Embryo 0.66–0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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