Sporobolus stolzii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 10–60 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1–6 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 5–14 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; bearing 6–30 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle branches smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 0.9–1.6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.4–0.6 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.9–1.6 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or spinose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 0.8–1.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous, or hispidulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.1–0.4 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 0.3–0.6 mm long.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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