Sporobolus maximus

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 300 cm long; 6–7 mm diam. Culm-nodes flush with internodes; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths tight; 35 cm long; wider than blade at the collar; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 100–150 cm long; 5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute; hairy adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; lanceolate; dense; 40–70 cm long; 4–5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 4–6 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; subterete; 2–2.5 mm long; 0.75 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 0.5 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

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

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; orbicular; 1.3 mm long. Embryo 0.5 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.