Panicum manongarivense

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; weak; 15–20 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule absent. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3.5–4 cm long; 6–7 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade margins ciliate. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; 3.5–6 cm long; 0.8–1 cm wide. Panicle branches scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1.5–2.5 mm long; ciliate; hairy at tip; with 2–2.5 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; subacute; 0.7–0.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate, or obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.7–0.8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 0.7–0.8 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 1994.

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