Sporobolus olivaceus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths indurate; glossy; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths, or fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 10–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 15–30 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 3–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.5–1.5 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; 2.6–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong, or ovate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 0.6–0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.6–2.4 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; dark green, or black; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.6–4 mm long; membranous; dark green, or black; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2–1.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; obovoid; 1.1–1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Grain rounded or truncate.

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