Panicum tenerum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Culms erect; slender; 40–100 cm long; wiry. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 4–18 cm long; 1.5–3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary.

Panicle contracted; linear; 4–8 cm long; contracted about primary branches. Primary panicle branches appressed; simple.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels bearing a few hairs; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.2–2.8 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -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; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.8–2 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

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

NOTES Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.

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