Sporobolus laxus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 60–120 cm long; 2–3 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths puberulous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 20–40 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 15–30 cm long; 4–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; naked below.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm long.

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

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.75 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex erose; acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

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

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 1 mm long; truncate.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Simon 1993.

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