Poaceae
Sporobolus

Sporobolus erectus Hitchc.

First published in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 17: 313 (1913)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Mexico to Honduras. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical 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: low confidence
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths withering. Basal innovations subterete. Culms erect; 55-58 cm long. Culm-internodes thin-walled; distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths eglandular, or glandular (on keel); keeled; glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.4-0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 9-15 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; pyramidal; 13-17 cm long; 5-7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; whorled at most nodes. Panicle branches flexuous. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3-3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; subterete; 3-3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; reaching apex of florets. Lower glume linear; 1.5-2 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 lanceolate; 2.8-3.5 mm long; 1 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 lanceolate; 2.8-3.3 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 1.5-2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; 1.7-2.1 mm long; obtuse.
Distribution
North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Fl Mes0-Am 1995.
[GB]

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

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. 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 Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. 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