Panicum pilosum

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 20–100 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes channelled. Culm-nodes glabrous, or bearded. Leaf-sheaths loose (DIVERGENT FROM INTERNODES). Ligule a fringe of hairs, or absent. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 4–30 cm long; 7–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 10–20; borne along a central axis; spreading; unilateral; 1–3(–5) cm long. Central inflorescence axis 5–20 cm long. Rhachis angular; ciliate on margins. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets in pairs, or in threes. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2–3 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal.

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

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 1–1.5 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

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

NOTES Paniceae. SAR 1999.

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