Sporobolus maderaspatanus

HABIT Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent; 20–45 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; flat, or involute; 15–35 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; whorled at lower nodes; 1–2 cm long. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.25–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets. Lower glume elliptic; 0.5–0.75 mm long; 0.33 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2–2.25 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.25 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; obovoid; biconvex; 0.9 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Bor 1993.

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