Sporobolus (sect. Acinifolii) P. M. Peterson, Romasch. & Soreng 2025, sect. nov.

Sporobolus sect. Acinifolii P. M. Peterson, Romasch. & Soreng, sect. nov. Type. Sporobolus acinifolius Stapf, Fl. Cap. 7: 581. 1900. Description. Mat forming perennials with elongated and much branched or short rhizomes, innovations intravaginal. Culms 6–43 cm long with 1–5 nodes, glabrous. Leaf sheaths open for most of their length; ligules 0.2–0.3 mm long, a line of hairs; blades 0.5–12 cm long, 1–3 mm wide, flat, glabrous, apex obtuse to acuminate, occasionally with cartilaginous margins. Inflorescence a panicle 2–15 cm long, open with effuse to capillary or sometimes dichotomously branched or spiciform with loosely ascending branches. Spikelets 1–2.5 mm long, 1 - flowered, lanceolate, subterete; glumes shorter to as long as the spikelet, 1 - veined, hyaline or sometimes membranous; lower glumes 0.25–0.5 as long as upper glumes; upper glumes 0.5–1 as long as the floret, apex acute to obtuse; lemmas 1–2.5 mm long, 1 - or 3 - veined, ovate, membranous, apex obtuse to acute; paleas 2 - veined. Flowers perfect; lodicules 2; anthers 0.7–1.9 mm long; ovary glabrous. Caryopses 0.8–1.1 mm long, ellipsoid to globose, brownish with a free pericarp. Species. Sporobolus acinifolius, S. albicans, S. tenellus. Distribution. Southern Africa. Published as part of Peterson, Paul M., Romaschenko, Konstantin, Soreng, Robert J. & Herrera Arrieta, Yolanda, 2025, Reticulation within Sporobolus: recognition of two new sections, Acinifolii and Thellungia, and a new genus, Hyalolemma (Poaceae, Chloridoideae, Zoysieae, Sporobolinae), pp. 99-123 in PhytoKeys 261 on pages 99-123, DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.261.157741