Panicum andreanum

HABIT Perennial. Culms rambling; 30–90 cm long; wiry; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; truncate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3–8 cm long; 3–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 7–20; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.5–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4–18 cm long. Rhachis angular.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume margins ciliate. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; ciliate on margins; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; indurate; yellow; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Mez 1995.

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