Sporobolus interruptus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 30–60 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades erect; flat, or conduplicate; 10–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 10–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; distant; 1 -nate. Panicle axis smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 6 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume lanceolate; 2–3 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 6 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA.

NOTES Eragrostideae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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