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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 heliophilum
HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes short. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms scandent; 30–70 cm long. Culm-internodes distally pilose. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample; arising from upper culm. Leaf-sheaths 0.5–1 cm long; pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat, or conduplicate; 4–5 cm long; 3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; densely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous; ciliate.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Peduncle 4–8 cm long; hispid above.
Panicle open; ovate; 4–16 cm long; 3–12 cm wide. Primary panicle branches not whorled, or whorled at lower nodes. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches glabrous, or pubescent; pubescent in axils.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2–13 mm long; smooth; glabrous.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.6–3.1 mm long; 1–1.1 mm wide; falling entire.
GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; not clasping; 2–2.7 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface villous. Upper glume apex acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; villous; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 2 mm long; 0.75 length of lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.4–2.7 mm long; 0.8–0.9 mm wide; indurate; light brown; without keel; 5–7 -veined. Lemma surface papillose; pilose; hairy above. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate. Palea surface pilose; hairy above.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.3 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.4 mm long; light brown. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.
DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.
NOTES Paniceae. Zuloaga 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
