Leptochloa panicea

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous; green. Culms decumbent; 25–110 cm long. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3–25 cm long; 1.5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes numerous; borne along a central axis; straight; unilateral; 4–11 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 20–30 cm long. Rhachis semiterete. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 2–5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 1.9–2.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes eventually visible between lemmas.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7–1.5 mm long; 0.8–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.9–1.6 mm long; 1.1–1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse; mucronate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma oblong; 0.8–1.2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma midvein pubescent. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma margins pubescent. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; obtuse. Palea 2 -veined. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.

FLOWER Anthers 3; oblong; 0.2–0.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; isodiametric; trigonous; 0.5 mm long; dark brown.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west tropical, west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, south, and western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. Pacific: northwestern. North America: north-central USA, northeast USA, southwest USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Eragrostideae. FTEA.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.