Panicum cyanescens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms decumbent; slender; 30–50 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample; arising from mid culm and upper culm. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane, or a ciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades ascending, or spreading, or reflexed; lanceolate, or oblong; 3–8 cm long; 4–5 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal, or terminal and axillary.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; obtuse; 1.5 mm long; 0.9 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.66–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume surface smooth, or wrinkled. Upper glume apex obtuse.

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; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic, or orbicular; dorsally compressed; 1.2 mm long; 0.8 mm wide; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; pubescent (obscurely). Palea involute; indurate.

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

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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