Panicum micranthum

HABIT Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10–38 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes brown; glabrous. Lateral branches ample; arising from lower culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2–10 cm long; 1–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; hairy adaxially, or on both sides. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 10 cm long; glabrous.

Panicle open; ovate; 2–8 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; smooth.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets orbicular; globose; dorsally compressed; 0.9–1.1 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–1 mm long; 0.5–0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pubescent. 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; glabrous, or pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 0.8–1 mm long; indurate; pallid, or light brown; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Guiana 1995.

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