New! - Search other data sources for Pennisetum squamulatum

Help - Wrong Description?

Kew Data Sources

Kew's Herbarium Catalogue
ePIC - Electronic Plant Information Centre

External Data Sources

Note - this takes you off of our website
Use your browser's back button to return to this page

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 squamulatum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rootstock evident. Culms 30–200 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 2–17 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; linear; curved; 5–25 cm long. 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 pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 2–5 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; oblong; 6–12 mm long; base obtuse; base pilose. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; with an outer whorl of thinner bristles; inner bristles subequal to outer; terete; flexible; ciliate. Pedicels 1–3 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3.5–7.5 mm long; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Companion sterile spikelet glumes membranous; 1–6 mm long; acuminate. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; exserted from glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5–7 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 0.25 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 0.33–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; 0–1 -veined; without lateral veins; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; 4.5–7 mm long; coriaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat; ciliolate. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea coriaceous.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 1.5 mm long; anther tip smooth. Styles connate below.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical and east tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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