Poaceae
Sporobolus

Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr.

First published in R.B.Marcy, Explor. Red River Louisiana: 300 (1853)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. Canada to U.S.A., Mexico. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50-150 cm long; 1-2 mm diam. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty; 2-4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15-45 cm long; 2-6 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 20-45 cm long; 15-25 cm wide. Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5-2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.3-2.5(-2.8) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 1.3-2.5(-2.8) mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.4-1.8 mm long; 0.5-0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1-1.2 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 1.3-2.8 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 1.5-1.7 mm long; yellow.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 1 mm long.
Distribution
Asia-temperate: Arabia. North America: northwest USA, north-central USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Gr Tex 1993.
[GB]

Common Names

english
alkali sacaton

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Living Collection Database

    • Common Names from Kew's Living Collection Database

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0