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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 prolificum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms robust; 200–400 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Lateral branches fastigiate; arising from upper culm. Leaf-sheaths loose; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades 15–50 cm long; 20–40 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scaberulous; rough adaxially; glabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound. Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath. Peduncle flexuous; 2–10 cm long; glabrous.

Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; 3–5 cm long; 1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis angular; scaberulous; glabrous; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 4–6 mm long; base truncate. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; with one conspicuously longer bristle; 15–20 mm long; terete; flexible; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 4–6.2 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5–1.2 mm long; 0.1–0.2 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex erose; obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.8–2.5 mm long; 0.4–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 4–5.4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; scaberulous; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 3.8–5.4 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; membranous.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico.

NOTES Paniceae. Chase 2002.

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