Panicum cipoense

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 32–60 cm long. Leaves without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 13–20 cm long; 2–3 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pilose; densely hairy. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 6–11 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous; 3–12 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 2–3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. 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; 5–7 -veined; pilose; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret pilose. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2–3 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface pilose.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Renvoize 1995.

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