Panicum caaguazuense

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes hollow; 1.5–7.5 cm long; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Leaf-sheaths 2–5.6 cm long; mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.1–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–11 cm long; 4–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib indistinct. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle glabrous.

Panicle open; ovate; 2.5–8 cm long. Panicle axis scaberulous. Panicle branches glabrous in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 10–35 mm long; smooth, or scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.7–3 mm long; 0.8–1.3 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.2–2.7 mm long; 0.75–0.8 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 apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets 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 1.9–2.1 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.8–2.1 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Paraguay 1995.

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