Panicum fontanale

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 45–50 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; glabrous on surface. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 2–3.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 9 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, or reflexed.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.2 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. Lower glume primary vein smooth, or scaberulous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous. 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 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Swallen 2002.

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