Panicum durifolium

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths villous; with tawny hairs. Culms erect; 100 cm long; wiry. Culm-internodes solid. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 2 mm long. Leaf-blades straight, or curved; involute; 55–70 cm long; 2 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; grooved adaxially; scabrous; rough adaxially; glabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle spiciform; oblong; 8–10 cm long; 1 cm wide.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 5–6 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 5–6 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; mid-green, or purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5–6 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; mid-green, or purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface pilose. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 5 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; pilose; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret pubescent; adorned on keels. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 3.5 mm long; indurate; yellow; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Renvoize 1996.

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