Sporobolus hajrae

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths 3.5–6 cm long; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 1.5–7 cm long; 5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; 10–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed (but lowest whorl spreading); 7 -nate; whorled at most nodes. Panicle axis with lower internodes 0.5–1 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.8–2 mm long; 0.3–0.4 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong, or ovate; 0.5–0.8 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong, or ovate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; 0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–1.8 mm long; 0.5–0.7 mm wide; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea oblong, or ovate; 1.5 mm long. Palea apex emarginate.

FLOWER Anthers 2; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; obovoid; 0.7–0.8 mm long; light brown.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Umamaheswari & Daniel 2006.

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