Panicum polygonatum

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; slender; 50–100 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes bearded. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 4–20 cm long; 5–10(–15) mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 7–20 cm long; contracted about secondary branches. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle branches angular; secund; with scattered hairs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes similar; 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; 5 -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; 3 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, 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.