Sporobolus molleri

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 6–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 2–25 cm long; 1–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; linear; 4–30 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches ascending; 5–25 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; acuminate; 1.7–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.2–0.3 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.5–0.7 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.2–0.5 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1.7–2 mm long; membranous; yellow; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea 0.5–0.66 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; obovoid; 0.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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