GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

Descriptions

W.D. Clayton, M. Vorontsova, K.T. Harman & H. Williamson

© Copyright The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Panicum chloroleucum

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect; 40–70 cm long; 2–3 mm diam. Culm-internodes 3.4–10 cm long; distally glabrous, or pubescent. Culm-nodes brown; pubescent. Leaf-sheaths 5–11.5 cm long; longer than adjacent culm internode; glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1.5–2.5 mm long. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 15–30 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 10–33 cm long; 4–14 cm wide. Primary panicle branches 1 -nate. Panicle axis pubescent. Panicle branches pubescent in axils.

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

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 3.5–4.9 mm long; 1.2–1.7 mm wide; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.5–4 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5–7 -veined. Lower glume surface pubescent; hairy above. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 3.4–4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7–9 -veined. Upper glume primary vein pubescent. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy above. Upper glume apex acuminate.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 3.6–4 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; pubescent; hairy above; pubescent on margins; fringed below; acuminate. Palea of lower sterile floret 3–3.8 mm long; pubescent; adorned on flanks. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2.5–3 mm long; 1.2–1.6 mm wide; indurate; pallid; shiny; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma margins involute; ciliate; hairy at base. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1.9–2.2 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; oblong; 2.2–2.3 mm long. Embryo 0.5 length of caryopsis. Hilum elliptic.

DISTRIBUTION South America: southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Zuloaga 1996.

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