Panicum adenophorum

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived. Culms rambling; 45–240 cm long; wiry; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 4–11 cm long; 4–13 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–15 cm long. Panicle branches pilose; with clavellate hairs, or simple hairs (rarely).

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; glabrous, or bearing a few hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3(–4) mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong, or ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 9–11 -veined; obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret scabrous. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3(–4) mm long; coriaceous; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; coriaceous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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