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 millegrana

HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches sparse. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded, or cordate; asymmetrical. Leaf-blades ascending, or spreading; lanceolate; 4–15 cm long; 10–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 10–20 cm long; bearing few spikelets; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; obtuse; 2–2.3 mm long; 1–1.2 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; dark green; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface papillose; rough on veins; glabrous, or hispidulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; dark green; 5 -veined; papillose; rough on veins; glabrous, or hispidulous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.9–2.1 mm long; 1 mm wide; indurate; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface papillose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 1994.

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