Sporobolus mopane

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms erect; 20–40 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths keeled; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1.5–5 cm long; 2–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 4.5–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches eglandular; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.8–3.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.33 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic, or ovate; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; red; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2.8–3.3 mm long; membranous; without keel. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; obovoid; flattened; 1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FZ 1997.

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