Sporobolus pyramidatus

HABIT Perennial; short-lived; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending; 15–60 cm long; 1–1.5 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–0.8 mm long. Leaf-blades 4–19 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear (before anthesis), or pyramidal; 3–13 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed, or spreading; whorled at most nodes.

Spikelets appressed; 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; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume linear; 0.6–0.7 mm long; 0.33–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.2–2 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; grey; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1.2–2 mm long; membranous; grey; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea readily splitting down midline; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3, or 2; 1.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ovoid; 1.1–1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Pacific: north-central. North America: northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. TAC 2000.

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