Sporobolus subglobosus

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 35–90 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 4–15 cm long; 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 6–40 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; bearing 5–12 fertile spikelets on each lower branch.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.5–2.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–1.3 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.5–2.2 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; red; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface smooth, or asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 1.4–2 mm long; membranous; red; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.7 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; 0.8–1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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