Sporobolus pseudairoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal; flabellate. Culms 90 cm long; 3.5 mm diam.; 3–4 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades convolute; 20–30 cm long; 1–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 35–40 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches 7–8 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2 mm long; 0.75 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume oblong; 0.75 mm long; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1.2–1.3 mm long; 0.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; membranous; dark green, or purple; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea embraced by lemma; 1.8 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.25 mm long; green.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ovoid; 1.2 mm long; light brown; truncate. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Parodi 1995.

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