GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

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

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

Panicum sellowii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Culms rambling; 100–150 cm long; 1–2 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Collar pilose. Leaf-blade base cordate; asymmetrical. Leaf-blades ovate; 6–12 cm long; 7–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; elliptic; effuse; 10–28 cm long; 4–16 cm wide. Primary panicle branches ascending, or reflexed; 1–2 -nate; simple; 5–14 cm long. Panicle branches straight.

Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; acute; 2–2.3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.2–1.5 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.8–2 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1.9–2.2 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.6–1.9 mm long; indurate; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.1 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis ellipsoid; 1.2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, 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.