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 lukwangulense

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent. Culms 60–140 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths wider than blade at the collar; pilose; with simple hairs and clavellate hairs. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 19–48 cm long; 7–16 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy, or moderately hairy, or densely hairy; with tubercle-based hairs and clavellate hairs. Leaf-blade apex acute; hardened.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; (10–)15–30 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches capillary; pilose; with clavellate hairs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.25–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex lobed. Upper glume oblong; 0.75–1 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; without keels; (3–)5 -veined. Upper glume apex lobed.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pilose; hairy above (tip); lobed. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; coriaceous; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; coriaceous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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