Pogonatherum paniceum

HABIT Perennial; mat forming. Culms prostrate; 15–60 cm long; wiry. Lateral branches fastigiate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 2–6 cm long; 1–3 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary. Axillary inflorescences present throughout the plant; similar to terminal. Peduncle flexuous.

Racemes 1; single; straight, or arcuate; 2–4 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; subterete; villous on margins. Rhachis internodes linear.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 2 in the cluster. Pedicels linear; villous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base and with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus bearded; base obtuse; attached transversely. Spikelet callus hairs white; 0.5 length of spikelet.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 0.9 length of upper glume; 0.9 length of spikelet; cartilaginous; without keels. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic. Upper glume apex emarginate; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 8–22 mm long.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 0.6–0.8 length of spikelet; hyaline; 0 -veined; without midvein; without lateral veins. Fertile lemma oblong; 2–3 mm long; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; flexuous; 8–22 mm long overall. Palea hyaline; without keels.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 2.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean. Asia-temperate: western Asia, Arabia, China, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia.

NOTES Andropogoneae. WDC.

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