Pennisetum foermeranum

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30–45 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 15–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough adaxially, or on both sides; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; loose; curved, or flexuous; 3–8 cm long; 0.5–1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis scaberulous; pubescent; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets sessile; 2–3 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; oblong; 6–8 mm long; base bluntly stipitate (1–1.5mm); base pilose. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; with an outer whorl of thinner bristles; 10–25 in principal whorl; with one conspicuously longer bristle; 7–15 mm long; terete; flexible; plumose.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 4.5–6 mm long; as long as fertile.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension, or with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; acute; 4.5–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or ovate; 2–3.5 mm long; 0.5–0.6 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute, or acuminate; mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate, or ovate; 3–5 mm long; 0.6–0.8 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1–3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent, or distinct. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate; mucronate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate, or ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; acute, or acuminate; mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; 4.5–6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acuminate; mucronate. Palea 1 length of lemma.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 2–3.5 mm long; anther tip smooth. Styles connate below; 0.5 of their length connate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Paniceae. FTA 1993.

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