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Poaceae Tribe Sporoboleae
Annual or perennial herbs. Leaf-blades narrow; ligule a line of hairs which are sometimes connate at the base. Inflorescence an open or contracted panicle, some times spiciform or capitate. Spikelets all alike, l -flowered: rhachilla disarticulating below the floret (sometimes falling entire in Crypsis), rarely produced beyond it; glumes persistent, membranous, nerveless or 1-nerved, usually shorter than the lemma; lemma 1(-3)-nerved, membranous to cartilaginous, usually shining; palea as long as the lemma or a little shorter, and often similar in texture, (1 -)2-nerved , often split by the developing grain; lodicules 0-2; anthers 2-3; stigmas 2. Grain with large embryo and punctiform hilum, the pericarp free or adherent; starch grains compound. Chromosomes small, basic number 9 or 10.
Genera 13; mainly tropics and subtropics; 4 genera and 15 species in Pakistan.
The tribe is obviously of eragrostoid affinity and is, in a sense, artificial, for there is little difference between Sporobolus and certain few-flowered species of Eragrostis.
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| 1 |
Inflorescence spicate, short and very dense, subtended by an inflated sheath bearing a rudimentary blade |
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Crypsis |
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Inflorescence a spreading panicle or spike-like and elongate; no inflated sheath at the base |
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(2) |
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| 2 (1) |
Lemma long-awned from the tip |
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Muhlenbergia |
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Lemma awnless |
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(3) |
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| 3 (2) |
Inflorescence elongate, spike-like; fruit with a
conspicuous beak |
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Urochondra |
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Inflorescence a panicle; fruit without a beak |
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Sporobolus |
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Lower Taxa
Related Synonym(s):
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