Sporobolus spicatus

HABIT Perennial; mat forming, or caespitose. Stolons present; with alternating elongated and bunched internodes. Culms 10–70 cm long; wiry. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 2–30 cm long; 1–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 1.5–20 cm long; 0.2–0.4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.1–0.3(–0.5) cm long. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.4–2.2(–2.8) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; reaching apex of florets, or shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 0.2–1 mm long; 0.25–0.33 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.8–2.2 mm long; 0.66–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; pallid; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.4–2.2(–2.8) mm long; hyaline; pallid; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.7–1.1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, Macaronesia, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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