Panicum crystallinum

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent; 10–15 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface; outer margin hairy. Leaf-sheath oral hairs ciliate. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; lacerate. Leaf-blades ovate; 1.5–2 cm long; 3–4.5 mm wide; membranous. Leaf-blade surface hirsute; hairy on both sides.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Peduncle 0.6–1 cm long.

Panicle open; lanceolate, or ovate; loose, or effuse; 2–4 cm long. Primary panicle branches 2–3 -nate. Panicle branches capillary; glabrous, or pilose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 1–6 mm long.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 0.9–1.1(–1.5) mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.5 mm long; 0.1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume oblong; 0.9–1.3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous; hairy between veins; with tubercle-based hairs. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; puberulous; hairy between veins; with tubercle-based hairs; obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 0.9–1.3 mm long; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: western Indian ocean.

NOTES Paniceae. Vorontsova 2014.

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