Panicum vaginiviscosum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped loosely. Butt sheaths coriaceous; purple; glabrous. Culms geniculately ascending; 90 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes solid. Leaves basal and cauline. Leaf-sheaths wider than blade at the collar; viscid; glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 3–5 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 30–35 cm long; 4 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; light green. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; oblong; 8–9 cm long; 1–1.3 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; 4–4.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 3–4 mm long; 0.75–1 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 4 mm long; 0.9–1 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pilose; hairy above; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret pubescent; adorned on keels. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 2.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Renvoize 1996.

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