Panicum cupressifolium

HABIT Perennial. Culms 40–150 cm long. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Leaves with sheath almost obsolete. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades appressed (imbricate); triangular (scale-like); 0.05–0.15 cm long; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence comprising only a few spikelets; comprising 1 fertile spikelets; shorter than basal leaves.

Spikelets solitary.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.8–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.8 mm long; 0.4 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.5 mm long; 0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 1.8–2 mm long; coriaceous; shiny. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC.

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