Panicum lepidulum

HABIT Perennial; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect; 25–70 cm long; wiry. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades erect, or spreading; flat, or conduplicate; 7–30 cm long; 5–10 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; exserted, or embraced at base by subtending leaf. Peduncle scaberulous above; glabrous, or pilose above.

Panicle open; elliptic; 7–20 cm long; 3–10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 4–4.2 mm long; 1.5 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. 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; 7–9 -veined; scabrous; rough on midvein (above); acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 2.3–2.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. N Amer Fl 1994.

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