Poaceae
Sporobolus

Sporobolus megalospermus (F.Muell. ex Benth.) P.M.Peterson

First published in Taxon 63: 1232 (2014)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is E. Australia. 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; caespitose. Culms 60-120 cm long. Lateral branches lacking, or sparse. Leaf-sheath oral hairs scanty, or lacking; 2-4 mm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; involute; 0.5-1 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 3-30 cm long; 0.7-2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle axis smooth; glabrous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.25-3 mm long; smooth, or scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 5-15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 4-11 mm long; 1-2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 5-15 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 4-11 mm long; 1-2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; retaining paleas.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7-0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.25-2 mm long; 0.75-1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 1.5-2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma apex acute. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.
Distribution
Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Fl NSW 1994.
[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