Pennisetum procerum

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; slender; 50–150 cm long; 1–3 mm diam.; wiry. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades filiform, or linear; 6–20 cm long; 1–4 mm wide; firm.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty. Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 2–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis scaberulous; glabrous.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; base obtuse. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; in one whorl; 1 in principal whorl; 6–36 mm long; terete; flexible; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; acuminate; 3–4 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base truncate.

GLUMES Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.4–0.7 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of upper glume; 0.1–0.15 length of spikelet; hyaline; pallid; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.4–0.7 mm long; 0.1–0.15 length of spikelet; hyaline; pallid; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; scaberulous; acuminate. Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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