Sporobolus spiciformis

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 40–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous; flat, or involute; 7–12 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 9.5–13 cm long; 0.3–0.4 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 1.8–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.8–1.3 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex entire, or erose; obtuse, or acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.8–1.3 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex entire, or erose; obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1.8–2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea readily splitting down midline; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Swallen 2002.

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