Panicum porphyrrhizos

HABIT Annual, or perennial; short-lived. Culms erect; 50–200 cm long; 2–4 mm diam. Culm-nodes pallid, or brown; glabrous. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades parallel-sided; 15–30 cm long; 5–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; (20–)30–50 cm long; with spikelets clustered towards branch tips. Primary panicle branches spreading.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; cuspidate, or acuminate; 3.5(–4) mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7–9 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 3 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

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

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS Pigment diffusing above and below nodes.

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