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GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora
Descriptions
W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson
© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Pennisetum sieberianum
HABIT Annual. Culms robust; 100–300 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 50–100 cm long; 20–40 mm wide.
INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.
Panicle spiciform; linear; 5–150 cm long; 1–3 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis terete; pubescent; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.
Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 2 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; oblong; 6–9 mm long; base bluntly stipitate (0.2–1.5mm). Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; with longest bristle scarcely emergent, or with one conspicuously longer bristle; 10–25 mm long; terete; flexible; glabrous, or ciliate.
FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; 4–6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
GLUMES Glumes both absent or obscure, or one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume oblong; 1–3 mm long; 0.25–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0–3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent, or distinct. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute.
FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate, or oblong; 1.5–6 mm long; 0.33–1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 3–5 -veined; ciliolate on margins; emarginate, or obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate, or ovate; 3.5–5.5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat; pubescent. Lemma apex truncate to acuminate. Palea coriaceous.
FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; anther tip penicillate. Styles connate below.
FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid, or ovoid; isodiametric, or dorsally compressed; concealed by floret, or exposed between gaping lemma and palea at maturity; 2–4.5 mm long; truncate, or obtuse.
DISTRIBUTION Africa: north, west tropical, and northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia.
NOTES Paniceae. Brunken.
Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.
