Pennisetum basedowii

HABIT Annual; caespitose; clumped loosely. Culms geniculately ascending; 35–70 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 5–7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Peduncle scaberulous above; glabrous, or pubescent above.

Panicle spiciform; oblong, or ovate; 3–8 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis with briefly decurrent ribs; scaberulous; glabrous; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 20–40 mm long; base truncate; base 0.5 mm long; base pubescent. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; with an outer whorl of thinner bristles; 3–4 in principal whorl; inner bristles longer than outer; 20–40 mm long; flattened; flexible; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 6–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume lanceolate; 5–7 mm long; 0.9–1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 7–9 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6–7 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea chartaceous.

FLOWER Anthers 3; anther tip apiculate.

DISTRIBUTION Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl W Austr 1993.

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