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Descriptions

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

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

Panicum ligulare

HABIT Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Butt sheaths woolly. Culms erect; 130–200 cm long. Culm-internodes with small lumen, or solid; 8–24 cm long; distally glabrous, or pilose. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-sheaths 8–23 cm long; hispid; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1.8–3.2 mm long. Collar pilose. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 30–55 cm long; 9–19 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; densely hairy; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 47–65 cm long; 15–30 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches scabrous; pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels clavate; 2–20 mm long; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 4.4–5.7 mm long; 1.2–1.6 mm wide; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes. Floret callus evident; 0.8–1.1 mm long; winged; with lateral wings.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.9–3.8 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume inner surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acuminate. Palea of lower sterile floret 3–3.3 mm long. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3.2 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.4 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Zuloaga 1995.

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