Panicum schwackeanum

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 10–70 cm long; 1 mm diam.; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-nodes brown. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.7 mm long; brown. Leaf-blade base cordate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2–6 cm long; 4–11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins glabrous, or ciliate; hairy at base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 5–10 cm long; pubescent above.

Panicle open; ovate; 5–10 cm long; 5–9 cm wide. Panicle branches glabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels flexuous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate, or obovate; dorsally compressed; 1.7–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–4 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.7–2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1.7–2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 4–5 -veined; without midvein, or with evident midvein; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 1 length of lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.3–1.7 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long.

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

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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