Panicum flexile

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect; 12–75 cm long. Culm-internodes solid; distally glabrous to hispid. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface to hispid. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 6–25 cm long; 2–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to hispid.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 7–20 cm long; 0.5–0.66 of culm length; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches glabrous in axils, or pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3–3.4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.2–2.5 mm long; indurate; dark brown; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: eastern Canada, northwest USA, north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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