Panicum ambositrense

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent, or rambling; weak; 100–200 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths eglandular. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate, or involute; 5–13 cm long; 3–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–25 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1 -nate; 5–15 cm long. Panicle branches eglandular.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.8–2.2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins convolute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Madag 1997.

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