GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Panicum ghiesbreghtii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 35–110 cm long; 1–2.5 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample; arising from lower culm and mid culm. Leaf-sheaths hirsute; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1–2 mm long. Leaf-blades 11–30 cm long; 4–8 mm wide; mid-green. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface pilose; hairy on both sides; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Peduncle pilose above.

Panicle open; ovate, or pyramidal; 20–35 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets ascending; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3.2–3.7 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Rhachilla elongation 0.5 mm long.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.8–2.3 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–3.1 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 2.8–3.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 9 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.2–2.4 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long; purple.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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