Panicum neobathiei

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; slender; 12–17 cm long. Culm-internodes smooth; distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths striately veined; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 1–1.5 cm long; 2–2.5 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong; 1.2–2 cm long; 0.5–0.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed; 0.3–0.5 cm long. Panicle branches flexuous; pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–3(–5) mm long; ciliate; with 2.5–3 mm long hairs.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate, or oblong; dorsally compressed; acute; 1.3–1.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels. Lower glume apex entire, or erose; acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume surface rugose; rough above. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; lanceolate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; rugose; rough above; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 1.2–1.4 mm long; indurate; pallid; 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.