Panicum viscidellum

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 35–110 cm long; 1.5–2 mm diam.; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes distally pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample; arising from lower culm and mid culm. Leaf-sheaths pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blade base cordate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–12 cm long; 8–20 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle 10–22 cm long.

Panicle open; obovate; dense; 5–11 cm long; 3–9 cm wide; contracted about secondary branches.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.8–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.4–0.7 mm long; 0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1.6–1.9 mm long; 0.9 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1.6–1.9 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.6–1.9 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 0.9 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis ellipsoid; 1 mm long; pallid.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, and western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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