Panicum linearifolium

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 25–50 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves basal and cauline; all alike, or heterophyllous with a basal winter rosette. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.3–1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat, or involute; 8–20 cm long; 1–4 mm wide; 1–4 mm wide in winter rosette. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose, or hispid; hairy abaxially. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 4–8 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches simple, or sparsely divided.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; with obtuse base; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 2.2–3.2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 1.1–1.2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1.1–1.15 length of fertile lemma; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pubescent; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 2–2.8 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: western Canada, eastern Canada, north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, and southeast USA.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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