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Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Pennisetum montanum

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; zigzag; 100–200 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample; arising from lower culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole; petiole 0.5–1 cm long. Leaf-blades 10–20 cm long; 8–30 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 5–9 cm long; 0.5–0.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis angular; glabrous.

Spikelets solitary, or subtended by an involucre (a few spikelets at base of spike). Fertile spikelets sessile. Involucre composed of bristles; 2–10 mm long. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; few; 1 in principal whorl; terete; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 3 -fid; obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; pubescent; entire, or dentate; 3 -fid; obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5–5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3. Styles free to the base.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Turpe 1994.

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