Panicum scabridum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50–110 cm long. Culm-internodes hollow, or solid; 10–15 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches ample; arising from upper culm. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.2–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; flat, or conduplicate; 10–21 cm long; 3–10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 9–23 cm long; glabrous.

Panicle open; ovate; dense; 7–20 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle axis scabrous. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; flexuous; scabrous; glabrous, or puberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate, or orbicular; dorsally compressed; 1.3–1.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–1.1 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins transversely connected at apex. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.1–1.4 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis black.

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

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Guiana 1995.

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