Sporobolus texanus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–70 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2–0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2.5–10 cm long; 1–4 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 5–25 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.3–3.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume linear; 0.33–0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.9–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2.3–3.3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea readily splitting down midline; 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; oblong; laterally compressed; 1–1.5 mm long; light brown. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION North America: northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, and south-central USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Tex 1993.

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