Panicum curviflorum

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–90 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths hispid; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 7–30 cm long; 4–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex abruptly acute, or acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; effuse; 10–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping; 2–20 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–15 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 2.8–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 1.5–2 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex cuspidate. Upper glume lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate, or cuspidate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic, or ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.66 length of lemma. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.5–3 mm long; indurate; pallid, or yellow; shiny; without keel; 7–9 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid, or orbicular; 1–1.25 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia.

NOTES Paniceae. =Panicum trypheron. Fl Pak 1993.

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