Panicum olyroides

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms 50–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or erect. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades erect; 20–80 cm long; 2–10(–18) mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole. Peduncle fracturing.

Panicle open; ovate, or globose; effuse; 20–40 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 15–40 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; rostrate; 6–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 9 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 4 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface pilose; hairy below; with clavate hairs. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

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

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Cat.

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