Sporobolus halophilus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–80 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 5–20 cm long; 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 6–15 cm long; 0.7–1.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; not whorled, or whorled at lower nodes; 3–4 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 2–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5–1 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.66–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 2–2.5 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Madag 1997.

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