Sporobolus minor

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 25–60(–80) cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flexuous; filiform; conduplicate, or involute; 6–20 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 5–25 cm long; 0.2–0.6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.5–1.9 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–1 mm long; 0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.9–1.3 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5–1.9 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid, or obovoid; 1 mm long; truncate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gr Bolivia 1997.

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