Sporobolus vaginiflorus

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 15–55(–70) cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 4–13 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary; subtended by an unspecialized leaf-sheath, or an inflated leaf-sheath; embraced at base by subtending leaf, or enclosed.

Panicle contracted; linear; 1–4 cm long; 0.2–0.5 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3–5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.8–4.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.8–4.5 mm long; 0.7–0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–5 mm long; chartaceous; keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; 2 mm long.

CLEISTOGENES AND VIVIPARY Cleistogenes present; in upper sheaths.

DISTRIBUTION North America: eastern Canada, north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gould.

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