Sporobolus pellucidus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Culms erect; 20–75 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 4–15 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; 6–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 1–2 cm long; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.7–2(–2.2) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong, or ovate; 0.7–0.8 mm long; 0.5–0.7 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; (0.5–)0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; dark green, or grey; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.7–2(–2.2) mm long; membranous; dark green, or grey; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8–0.9 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid, or obovoid; 0.6–0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, and south. Asia-temperate: Arabia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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