Sporobolus lenticularis

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20–45 cm long; 3–7 -noded. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat, or involute; 5–13 cm long; 2–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 6–12 cm long; 3–4 cm wide. Primary panicle branches whorled at most nodes; simple, or sparsely divided.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 1.5–1.7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume ovate; 0.8–1.1 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–1.7 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 1.5–1.7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.25–0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid, or orbicular; flattened (discoid); exposed between gaping lemma and palea at maturity; 1.5 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Jansen 1993.

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