Panicum malacotrichum

HABIT Perennial. Culms robust. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 10–20 cm long; 10–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 15–25 cm long; contracted about secondary branches. Primary panicle branches 1–2 -nate; 5–12 cm long. Panicle branches stiff; straight.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 2.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; clasping; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.3 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. WDC 1994.

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