Sporobolus paniculatus

HABIT Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–16 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acuminate, or attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 3–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; bearing 4–12 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1–2.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.4–1.3 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1–2.2 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; red; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 0.9–2 mm long; membranous; red; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.2–0.8(–1) mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; laterally compressed; 0.8–1.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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