Sporobolus panicoides

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 5–30 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 4–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; bearing 1–4 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; sterile at lowest node (or bearing only 1–2 spikelets). Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2–2.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–1.7 mm long; 0.4–0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.7 mm long; 2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1–1.2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 1.2–1.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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