Panicum calcicola

HABIT Perennial. Culms decumbent; 30–35 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes striate; distally glabrous. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; outer margin hairy. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 5–9 cm long; 8–23 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous; hairless except near base. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse. Panicle axis hirsute. Panicle branches flexuous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels flexuous; 5–15 mm long; ciliate.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.8 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface puberulous. Upper glume lanceolate; 1–1.2 mm long; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 1.4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; puberulous; obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 1.3–1.5 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Camus 2007.

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