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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Panicum pulchellum

HABIT Perennial. Culms prostrate; 10–30 cm long; 0.2–0.5 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3–0.4 mm long. Collar bearded. Leaf-blade base cordate; asymmetrical. Leaf-blades ovate; 1.8–5 cm long; 4–17 mm wide; mid-green, or purple. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle 6–13 cm long.

Racemes 6–25; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.7–2 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 2–12 cm long. Spikelet packing regular; 2 -rowed.

Spikelets solitary, or in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 2–2.3 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.9–1.2 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 2–2.1 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1.9–2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; eglandular, or glandular (1–3 glands); 5 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.1–1.4 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.6–0.7 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis ellipsoid; 1 mm long.

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

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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