Panicum humidorum

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–150 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded, or cordate. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 5–20 cm long; 4–10 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–40 cm long; 2–20 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 2–20 cm long. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–8 mm long; scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acute; 1–1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1–1.5 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1–1.25 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.5–1 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, and Malesia.

NOTES Paniceae. Nair 1993.

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