Pennisetum pauperum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms 100–200 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1.5–2 mm long. Leaf-blades involute; 10–20 cm long; 3–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough adaxially.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; embraced at base by subtending leaf.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 4–6 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis angular; puberulous; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 2–2.5 mm long; base truncate. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; 3–4 in principal whorl; with longest bristle scarcely emergent; terete; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.2–0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; scaberulous; rough above; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Turpe 1994.

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