Panicum bulbosum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths glabrous, or pubescent. Culms erect; 30–200 cm long; swollen at the base; forming an ovoid corm. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths smooth, or antrorsely scabrous; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades 25–60 cm long; 3–14 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex acuminate, or attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 20–50 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending; 10–25 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5–5 mm long; scabrous; tip cupuliform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; obtuse; 3.5–4.2 mm long; 1.2–1.4 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 3.2–4 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; pubescent. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India. Australasia: Australia. North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 1999.

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