Sporobolus engleri

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms 12–60 cm long; 1–2 mm diam. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat; 4–15 cm long; 2–5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 6–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading; branching dichotomously. Panicle branches capillary; glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume oblong; 0.2–0.33 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.5–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1–1.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; orbicular; laterally compressed; 1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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