Sporobolus mendocinus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; robust; 50–180 cm long; 2.4–3 mm diam.; 3–5 -noded. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths 11–15 cm long; longer than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1–2.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous; conduplicate; 60–85 cm long; 2–2.3 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 18–25 cm long; 0.5–1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1–2.5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–1.3 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 2.5–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5–3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea readily splitting down midline; 2.4–2.6 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate. Palea surface asperulous.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 0.3–0.4 mm long. Anthers 3; 1–2 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; laterally compressed; 1.5–1.8 mm long; light brown, or dark brown. Embryo 0.33–0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Mendez 2002.

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