Sporobolus bosseri

HABIT Annual. Culms erect; 10–12 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; convolute; 4–9 cm long; 1 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–3.5 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Panicle axis glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.2–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5–0.6 mm long; 0.2–0.25 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2.2–2.5 mm long; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid, or oblong.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Camus 2007.

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