Sporobolus lanuginellus

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms 6–15 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs woolly. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 2–5 cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 3–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1–2 -nate. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.5–1.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–0.7 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.7–0.8 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–1.7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma surface asperulous. Lemma apex erose; obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; 1.5 mm long. Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; oblong; 1 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Afr N 1994.

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