Poaceae
Sporobolus

Sporobolus platensis Parodi

First published in Revista Fac. Agron. Veterin. 6: 133 (1928)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Brazil to NE. Argentina. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical 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. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms 30-100 cm long; 5-6 -noded. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 20-30 cm long; 3-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy adaxially.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf. Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 10-25 cm long. Primary panicle branches appressed; 4-5 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels angular; scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6-7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 6-7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes deciduous; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic; 4 mm long; 0.8 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; 4.5-5 mm long; 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 acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma elliptic; 6-7 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma midvein scaberulous. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea readily splitting down midline; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 2 mm long; purple.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; ellipsoid; 3-3.5 mm long; dark brown. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis.
Distribution
South America: Brazil and southern South America.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Parodi 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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • 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 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