Sporobolus molleri Hack.

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Photo: Petra Ballings
Val D'Or

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Synonyms:	Sporobolus mayumbensis Franch. Sporobolus secundispiculus Chiov.
Common names:
Frequency:	Common
Status:	Native
Description:	Loosely tufted annual grass, up to 60 cm. Culms erect or ascending, often branched below; leaf sheaths chartaceous, glabrous, compressed and lightly keeled; leaf laminas 4–25 cm × (1)2–5 mm, flat or involute, glabrous, smooth or scaberulous on the margins, tapering to a fine point. Inflorescence a panicle, 10-30 cm, linear; branches not whorled, smooth or scabrid, eglandular, divergent and strictly racemose, 0.5 - 2 cm long, spikelets along the entire length. Spikelets c. 2mm, yellowish-green when fresh ; inferior glume a minute oblong scale up to 1/5 the length of the spikelet, nerveless, glabrous, obtuse at the apex; superior glume 1/2–2/3 the length of the spikelet, ovate or oblong, 1-nerved, glabrous, with a subulate, awn-like apex; lemma as long as the spikelet, ovate or lanceolate, smooth or scaberulous, contracted above into a subulate awn-like apex (the palea only as long as the expanded part of the lemma); anthers 3, 0.2–0.3 mm long.Grain 0.6–0.7 mm long, obovate, oblong in section.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	molleri: after the Portuguese botanist and collector Adolpho Frederico Möller, 1842–1920.
Habitat:	In open sandy miombo woodland and also in disturbed habitats such as lawns and roadsides.
Altitude range: (metres)	760 - 1980 m
Flowering time:	Feb - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa.
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Saturday 21 February 2009
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 362. Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Page 180. Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 61. 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.

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Flora of Malawi: Sporobolus molleri
Flora of Mozambique: Sporobolus molleri
Flora of Zambia: Sporobolus molleri

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Sporobolus molleri
African Plant Database: Sporobolus molleri
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Sporobolus molleri
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Sporobolus molleri
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Sporobolus molleri
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Sporobolus molleri
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Sporobolus molleri
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Sporobolus molleri
iNaturalist: Sporobolus molleri
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Sporobolus molleri
JSTOR Plant Science: Sporobolus molleri
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Sporobolus molleri
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Sporobolus molleri
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Sporobolus molleri
Plants of the World Online: Sporobolus molleri
Tropicos: Sporobolus molleri
Wikipedia: Sporobolus molleri