Sporobolus teretifolius

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–80 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flexuous; filiform; terete; 0.5–1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 15–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle axis angular; scaberulous. Panicle branches capillary; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 4–4.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 4–4.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southeast USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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