Poaceae
Sporobolus

Sporobolus arcuatus (K.E.Rogers) P.M.Peterson

First published in Taxon 63: 1233 (2014)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Oklahoma to Alabama. 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. Rhizomes short. Culms 75-150 cm long; 2-5 mm diam. Culm-internodes smooth, or scaberulous. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths 6-15 cm long; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.2-0.7 mm long. Collar ciliate. Leaf-blades 30-85 cm long; 1.5-6.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy adaxially. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 15-38 cm long. Panicle open; ovate; 15-45 cm long; 8-40 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; 1-2 -nate. Panicle branches scabrous; pubescent in axils. Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1-8 mm long; smooth, or scaberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6-7.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 2-2.5 mm long; 0.3-0.4 length of lemma.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 6-7.4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus bearded. Floret callus hairs 2-2.5 mm long; 0.3-0.4 length of lemma.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 2.7-4.1 mm long; 0.66-0.75 length of upper glume; membranous; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 4.2-5.4 mm long; 0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acuminate, or attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5.5-7.1 mm long; membranous; 1 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex attenuate. Palea 5.4-6.2 mm long; 2 -veined. Palea surface pubescent; hairy on back. Palea apex dentate; 2 -fid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with free soft pericarp.
Distribution
North America: north-central USA and southeast .
Reference
Eragrostideae. Rogers 2002.
[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