Panicum callosum

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long; 3 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades tapering towards sheath; 30–45 cm long; 6–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; lanceolate; 15–40 cm long. Primary panicle branches profusely divided; 15–30 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 6–8 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate and laterally pinched.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 9 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4 mm long; indurate; dark brown; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical and northeast tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA 1993.

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