Sporobolus palmeri

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 30–50 cm long; 1 -noded. Culm-internodes smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 5–12 cm long; 1–2 mm wide; stiff; glaucous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 20–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1 -nate; 7–15 cm long. Panicle branches stiff; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3–3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5 mm long; 0.6–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; grey; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 3–3.5 mm long; membranous; grey; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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