Sporobolus nebulosus

HABIT Perennial; cushion forming, or caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 7–30 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; conduplicate; 1.5–5 cm long; 0.3–1 mm wide; stiff; glaucous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 7–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; branching dichotomously. Panicle branches capillary; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 0.6–1.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume oblong; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 0.6–1.4 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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