Poaceae
Sporobolus

Sporobolus maritimus (Curtis) P.M.Peterson & Saarela

First published in Taxon 63: 1236 (2014)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. & S. Central Europe, Morocco to Mauritania, Namibia to Cape Prov. 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. Rhizomes elongated; firm. Culms erect; 15-50 cm long. Leaf-sheaths without keel. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.2-0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 4-18 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade apex acuminate; hardened.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes (1-)2-3(-5); digitate, or borne along a central axis; erect; unilateral; 4-5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1-6 cm long. Rhachis angular; smooth on margins; terminating in a barren extension; extension bristle-like; extension 5-14 mm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 11-15 mm long; falling entire.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 11-15 mm long; falling entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets. Lower glume linear; 0.7-0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 11-15 mm long; 1.1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; with membranous margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; 9-12 mm long; herbaceous; much thinner on margins; keeled; 1 -veined. Lemma surface puberulous; hairy above. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1.1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 4-6 mm long. Stigmas protogynous; terminally exserted; pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with tardily free pericarp; linear. Embryo 0.6-0.8 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.
Distribution
Europe: northern, central, southwestern, and southeastern. Africa: north and south. Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Cynodonteae. CEH.
[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

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images