Sporobolus pectinellus

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 10–45 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 1–8 cm long; 1–3 mm wide; stiff.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 3–18 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 0.8–1.2(–2) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.1–0.6 mm long; 0.25–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume oblong, or ovate; 0.4–0.8 mm long; 0.5–0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex cuspidate; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 0.8–1.2(–2) mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.6 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, and east tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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