Sporobolus macranthelus Chiov.

Gramineae, T. Cope. Flora Zambesiaca 10:2. 1999

Morphology General Habit

Robust caespitose perennial arising from a short oblique rhizome; culms up to 200 cm tall, 3–6 mm in diameter at the base, erect, unbranched; basal leaf sheaths firmly chartaceous, glabrous, terete, persistent; leaf laminas up to 45 cm × 4–7 mm, flat or folded, stiff and ± glaucous, the midnerve commonly forming a prominent white streak 1–2 mm wide on the upper surface, smooth, scaberulous or pilose on the surfaces, the margins sharply scabrid, drawn out into a long filiform apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle 35–75 cm long, linear to narrowly ovate, richly branched; primary branches not in whorls, scabridulous, eglandular, the spikelets ± appressed or somewhat spreading, secund along the primary branches or more usually along secondary branchlets or even short tertiary branchlets, the primary branches bare of spikelets or branchlets in the lower 1–2 cm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 1.6–2.4 mm long, dark green; inferior glume 1/2–2/3 the length of the spikelet, narrowly ovate, hyaline, nerveless, glabrous, obtuse to subacute at the apex; superior glume 3/4–4/5 the length of the spikelet (sometimes more), narrowly ovate, hyaline, 1-nerved, glabrous, obtuse to subacute at the apex; lemma as long as the spikelet, ovate, obtuse; anthers 3, 1–1.3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain 0.6–0.8 mm long, elliptic, tetragonal in section.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Robust caespitose perennial; culms 1.1–2 m. high, 3–6 mm. in diameter at the base.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades flat or folded, up to 45 cm. long, 4–7 mm. wide, parallel-sided, narrow in relation to their length, stiff, ± glaucous, the midrib commonly forming a prominent white streak 1–2 mm. wide on the upper surface, usually scaberulous or pilose above and beneath, sometimes smooth, the margins sharply scabrid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle linear to narrowly ovate, 35–75 cm. long, much branched, the spikelets ± appressed or somewhat spreading and secund along the primary or secondary branches, the former bare for 1–2 cm. from the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 1.6–2.4 mm. long, dark green; lower glume narrowly ovate, 0.8–1.2 mm. long; upper glume narrowly ovate, 1.2–1.7 mm. long, 3/4–4/5 as long as the spikelet; lemma ovate, as long as the spikelet; anthers 3, 1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain ellipsoid, 0.6 mm. long, tetragonal.

Habitat

Hillsides in deciduous bushland, stream banks and flood plain margins; 60–2400 m.

Distribution

also a few specimens from the Sudan and Somali Republic, Zambia, Rhodesia and Botswana K1 K3 K4 K6 K7 T2 T3 T6/T8 U1 U2

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

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Type

S3, Senni 276 (FT holo.).

Morphology General Habit

Robust, tufted perennial 1–2 m high, the stems 3–6 mm in diam. at the base

Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths

Basal sheaths broad and papery

Morphology Leaves

Leaves narrow, stiff and somewhat glaucous, the midrib commonly forming a prominent white streak 1–2 mm wide on the upper surface, the margins harshly scabrid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle linear to narrowly ovate, 35–75 cm long, the spikelets appressed or somewhat spreading and secund along the branches and branchlets, the former bare for the lower 1–2 cm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 1.6–2.4 mm long; lower glume narrowly ovate, 0.8–1.2 mm long; upper glume narrowly ovate, 3/4–4/5 as long as the spikelet; lemma ovate, as long as the spikelet; anthers 3, c. 1 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain ellipsoid, c. 0.6 mm long, tetragonal in section.

Distribution

S3 eastern and southern tropical Africa.

Ecology

Altitude c. 100 m.

Note

Similar to S. fimbriatus and distinguished by the robust stems, stiff narrow leaves and much-branched panicle.

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton, S. M. Phillips & S. A. Renvoize. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1974

Morphology General Habit

Annual; culms 40–150 cm. high, erect.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades thin, flat, up to 30 cm. long, 7 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicle narrowly elliptic, 20–50 cm. long, diffuse, the branches and pedicels capillary.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 1.5–1.7 mm. long; lower glume lanceolate, 0.7–0.9 mm. long, 1/2 as long as the spikelet, acute; upper glume narrowly ovate, 1–1.2 mm. long, acute; lemma ovate, as long as the spikelet, acute; anthers 3, 1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Grain square in side view, slightly flattened, 0.5–0.6 mm. long.

Habitat

River banks; ± 1000 m.

Distribution

not known elsewhere T7