Panicum pycnoclados

HABIT Perennial. Culms leaning; 12–60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes terete; 3–15 cm long; distally glabrous, or hirsute. Culm-nodes constricted; pubescent. Lateral branches ample; arising from upper culm. Leaf-sheaths 2–5 cm long; glabrous on surface, or hirsute; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1–1.5 mm long. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blade base amplexicaul; asymmetrical. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or oblong; 2–4.5 cm long; 5–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous to pilose; sparsely hairy, or moderately hairy, or densely hairy. Leaf-blade margins scabrous; ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 6–20 cm long; glabrous, or pubescent above.

Panicle open; ovate; 3–6 cm long; 1.5–6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches not whorled, or whorled at lower nodes. Panicle axis eglandular; smooth, or tuberculate; glabrous, or pilose. Panicle branches flexuous; eglandular; glabrous in axils, or pubescent in axils.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels glabrous, or ciliate; hairy above.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.2–3 mm long; 0.8–0.9 mm wide; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; clasping; 1.2–1.8 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3(–5) -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 1.9–2.7 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7–9 -veined; glabrous, or pilose; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1.5–1.8 mm long; 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.8–2 mm long; 0.8 mm wide; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; laterally pinched (slightly). Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.8 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1.5 mm long. Embryo 0.33 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Zuloaga 1994.

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