Panicum caricoides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; slender; 45–90 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths wider than blade at the collar; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades erect; involute; 1–5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle open; linear; 1–1.5 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels bearing a few hairs; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; 1.5–1.8 mm long; 0.8 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins prominent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; prominently veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.4–1.5 mm long; 0.6 mm wide; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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