Leaf blade
expanded to rolled, almost filiform; ligule a long unfringed membrane
Inflorescence
an open panicle, branches capillary and conspicuously divaricate; spikelets solitary, pedicelled; pedicel club-shaped at apex
Spikelet
2-3 mm long, laterally compressed; disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes very unequal, shorter than spikelet, awnless; lower glume minute or almost absent, nerveless; upper glume 1-nerved
Florets
2-7, bisexual; lemma similar in texture to glumes, membranous, obtuse to rounded, glabrous, 3-nerved, keeled on all 3 nerves, awnless; callus short, glabrous; palea bilobed, 2-keeled
Lodicules
2
Stamens
3, ovoid
Ovary
glabrous; styles plumose
Caryopsis
oblong-ellipsoid
x = 6, 7 (polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
*Sphenopus
Trin.
Trinius: 135 (1820)
Stace: 159 (1980)
Clayton & Renvoize: 106 (1986)
Gibbs Russell et al.: 303 (1990)
Watson & Dallwitz: 893 (1994)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species 2, Mediterranean to Iran
Southern Africa
: Species 1: *
Sphenopus divaricatus
(Gouan) Rchb., naturalised, W Northern Cape and Western Cape
References:
CLAYTON, W.D. & RENVOIZE S.A. 1986. Genera graminum. Grasses of the world.
Kew Bulletin
. Additional series 13
GIBBS RUSSELL, G.E., WATSON, L., KOEKEMOER, M., SMOOK, L., BARKER, N.P., ANDERSON, H.M. & DALLWITZ. M.J. 1990. Grasses of southern Africa.
Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa
No. 58
WATSON, L. & DALLWITZ, M.J. 1994.
The grass genera of the world
, revised edn. CAB International, Oxon
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