Sporobolus centrifugus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths indurate; yellow; glossy. Culms erect; 20–80 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 6–30 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; pyramidal, or ovate; (4–)8–18 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes (4–8 whorls). Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2.5–4.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume oblong; 2.2–3.5 mm long; 0.75–1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume oblong; 2.5–4.2 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; dark green; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2–4 mm long; membranous; dark green; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.7–2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.7–2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

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