Panicum paianum

HABIT Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 15–50 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or puberulous; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 3–10 cm long; 5–9 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent. Leaf-blade apex acute.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; pyramidal; effuse; 6–15 cm long; 6–10 cm wide. Panicle branches capillary; scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels tip oblique.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; acute; 2.7–3.2 mm long; 1–1.2 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume oblate; clasping; 1 mm long; 0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 2.5–3 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 9–11 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.8–2 mm long; indurate; pruinose; without keel; 3–5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Paniceae. Naik & Patunkar.

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