Sporobolus purpurascens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 11–31 cm long; 1 mm diam. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.7–0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–19 cm long; 3–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 6–12 cm long; 0.3–0.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; whorled at most nodes; 0.5–1 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.9–3.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–2 mm long; 0.33–0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.7–3.3 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; grey, or purple; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.7–2.9 mm long; membranous; grey, or purple; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea readily splitting down midline; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.1–1.4 mm long; pallid, or purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; laterally compressed; 1.6–1.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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