Panicum afzelii

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; slender; 15–30 cm long. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or hirsute. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–10 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; effuse; 7–11 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 1.2–1.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 0.75–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume apex acuminate; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.3–0.5 mm long. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate; muticous, or mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute, or acuminate. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 0.5–0.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–0.75 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical and northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Glumes gape at 90 degrees.

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