Panicum venezuelae

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent, or prostrate; slender; 10–15 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaf-sheaths pubescent. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 3–7 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes.

Racemes 4–10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 0.4–0.6 cm long; bearing 1–8 fertile spikelets on each. Central inflorescence axis 3–5 cm long; pubescent. Rhachis pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing crowded.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

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

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; gibbous; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Man Gr US 1994.

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