Panicum trichocladum

HABIT Perennial. Rootstock evident. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms rambling; 20–250 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths wider than blade at the collar, or as wide as blade at the collar, or narrower than blade at the collar. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–15(–18) cm long; 4–18 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle pilose above.

Panicle open; ovate; 6–20 cm long. Panicle branches glabrous (rarely), or pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate; hairy at tip.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; obtuse; (2.2–)2.5–3 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.1–0.25 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate, or obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined, or 7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 2.2–3 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 2 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west-central tropical, northeast tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and western Indian ocean. Asia-tropical: Malesia. South America: northern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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