Panicum orinocanum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Culms erect; slender; 30–40 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; striately veined; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3 mm long; ciliate from base of abaxial surface. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 2–10.5 cm long; 1–2 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–5 cm long. Panicle branches capillary; flexuous; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Swallen 1995.

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