Panicum bambusiusculum

HABIT Perennial. Culms rambling; 100–200 cm long; 15 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes terete. Lateral branches fastigiate. Leaf-sheaths 1.5–2.5 cm long; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2–6 cm long; 5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 1.5–2 cm long; 1 cm wide; bearing few spikelets. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.5–2 mm long; tip discoid.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 1.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; with tubercle-based hairs; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 0.8 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Stapf 1994.

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