Panicum tepuianum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 90 cm long; 5–19 -noded. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves distichous; without demarcation between sheath and blade. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.3–0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; conduplicate; 18–21 cm long; 6–8.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins ciliate; hairy at base. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 16–18 cm long; 10 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 1 -nate; 5–10 cm long. Panicle branches smooth, or scaberulous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 3–15 mm long; smooth, or scaberulous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.8–2.4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.4–1.9 mm long; 0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.5–2.1 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5–1.6 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface puberulous. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1–1.1 mm long; purple.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Davidse & Zu 1994.

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