Sporobolus welwitschii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms 60–70 cm long. Leaves cauline. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; 4–8 cm long; 1–2 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 4–11 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches capillary; bearded in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 0.8–2.1 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 0.8–2.1 mm long; membranous; shiny; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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