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| Synonyms: |
Sporobolus fimbriatus var. latifolius Stent Sporobolus macranthelus sensu B.K. Simon, non Chiov. Sporobolus marlothii Hack. Sporobolus rehmannii Hack. Sporobolus sp. aff. agrostoides Chiov. Vilfa fimbriata Trin. |
| Common names: | Bushveld dropseed (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Caespitose perennial arising from a short oblique rhizome; culms up to 170 cm tall, 2–3 mm in diameter at the base (rarely more), erect, usually unbranched, the leaves mostly basal, but the taller culms usually more leafy; basal leaf sheaths chartaceous, glabrous or ciliate to lanate along the margins, terete to strongly compressed and keeled, persistent; leaf laminas 10–30(60) cm × 2.5–7.5(14) mm, flat, folded or involute, glabrous, the midnerve forming a white streak on the upper surface, scaberulous or tuberculate-pilose on the surfaces, the margins thinly cartilaginous (and often reddish in colour), smooth or tuberculate-ciliate, tapering to a long filiform flexuous apex.Panicle 15–65 cm long, linear to lanceolate, the branches not in whorls (rarely subverticillate), 3–12 cm long, smooth or scaberulous, eglandular, the spikelets either on short tertiary branchlets on spreading secondary branchlets, or secund along the secondary branchlets, in either case the primary branches bare of spikelets or branchlets at the base.Spikelets 1.4–2.1(2.4) mm long, dark green; inferior glume (1/3)2/5–2/3 the length of the spikelet, narrowly oblong to lanceolate, hyaline, nerveless, glabrous or minutely asperulous, obtuse to subacute at the apex; superior glume 4/5 as long to as long as the spikelet, narrowly ovate, 1-nerved, hyaline, glabrous or minutely asperulous, acute at the apex; lemma as long as the spikelet or almost so, narrowly ovate; anthers 3, 0.9–1.2 mm long.Grain c. 0.6 mm long, obovate, truncate, tetragonal in section. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | In miombo woodland often on termitaria, mopane woodlands and pans in mopane woodland, in riverine woodland and grasslands, and in shallow rainwater pans in dry sandveld, sometimes on rocky hill-sides |
| Altitude range: | Up to 1220 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Botswana, Namibia, Sudan, Somalia, and southwards to South Africa |
| Mozambique distribution: | N,Z,MS,GI,M |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Pages 189 - 190. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 500. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 110. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 192 - 193. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 145. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 192. |
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