Panicum yavitaense

HABIT Annual. Culms rambling; weak; 10–30 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths mostly shorter than adjacent culm internode; pilose. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2.5–5 cm long; 2–6 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface pilose.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7 cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. 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; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 0.9 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: northern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Swallen 1995.

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