Panicum robynsii

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent, or rambling; slender; 25–100 cm long. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; tapering towards sheath; 5–10 cm long; 5–15 mm wide; membranous. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 3–6; borne along a central axis; paucilateral; 2–5 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 12–20 cm long.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels unequal.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; dorsally compressed; obtuse, or acute; 2.2–2.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.66–0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous. Lower glume apex acute; mucronate. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–7 -veined. Upper glume surface scabrous. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; hyaline; 3–5 -veined; scabrous; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 2 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. 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.