Sporobolus trichodes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; slender; 20–60 cm long; wiry. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades involute; 5–10 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 5–10 cm long; 5–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1 -nate. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.5–2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.6–0.7 mm long; 0.3–0.4 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.7–1 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; light brown, or purple; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; membranous; light brown, or purple; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 1 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Nov Gal 1994.

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