Panicum strigosum

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms 6–15 cm long; 0.3–0.5 mm diam. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaves heterophyllous with a basal winter rosette. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.1–0.2 mm long. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2–6 cm long; 3–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy. Leaf-blade margins ciliate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; 2–4 cm long; 1–3 cm wide. Panicle axis pilose. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets spreading; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 1.3–1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.6–0.7 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.2–1.3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1.2–1.3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.3 mm long; purple.

DISTRIBUTION North America: south-central USA, southeast USA, and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana and Caribbean.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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