Panicum pole-evansii

HABIT Annual. Culms rambling; 50–110 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar, or narrower than blade at the collar. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 4–10 cm long; 4–12 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 7–9 cm long. Panicle branches pilose; with clavellate hairs.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels flexuous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 2–2.3 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; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -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; 9 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 2–2.3 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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