Panicum dewinteri

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 50–100 cm long; wiry; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches suffrutescent. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; 2–5 cm long; 1–6 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–15 cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acute; 3.5–4 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; acuminate. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.33 length of lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3–3.5 mm long; indurate; light brown; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: south.

NOTES Paniceae. Gr S Afr 1993.

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