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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 sphaerocarpon
HABIT Perennial. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; 20–80 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous, or pubescent. Lateral branches sparse. Leaves basal and cauline; heterophyllous with a basal winter rosette. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs, or absent; 0–0.7 mm long. Leaf-blade base cordate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3–6.5 cm long; 7–14 mm wide; light green. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins tuberculate-ciliate; hairy at base.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 4–13 cm long.
Panicle open; ovate, or pyramidal; 8–15 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous. Panicle branches glabrous.
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or orbicular, or obovate; with obtuse base; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 1.4–2 mm long; falling entire.
GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–0.7 mm long; 0.2–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex obtuse.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; glabrous, or puberulous; obtuse. Fertile lemma oblong, or orbicular, or obovate; dorsally compressed; 1.4–2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.
FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.4 mm long.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 1 mm long.
DISTRIBUTION Australasia: New Zealand. North America: eastern Canada, north-central USA, northeast USA, south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, and western South America.
NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
