Sporobolus neglectus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–40 cm long. Leaf-sheaths inflated; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3–12 cm long; 2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Axillary inflorescences enclosed.

Panicle contracted; linear; 2–5 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.6–2.8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.7–0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.6–2.8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea readily splitting down midline; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 1.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.75 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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