Panicum ecklonii

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths pubescent; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths, or fibrous dead sheaths. Culms slender; 15–80 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths wider than blade at the collar. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; (6–)10–20(–26) cm long; 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose; sparsely hairy, or moderately hairy, or densely hairy; with capitate hairs and tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade apex acute, or acuminate, or attenuate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 6–12(–18) cm long. Primary panicle branches ascending, or spreading. Panicle branches capillary; glabrous, or pilose; with clavellate hairs.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.5–3.5 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.25–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex lobed; 3 -fid. Upper glume oblong; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; purple; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex lobed; 3–5 -fid.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; pilose; hairy above (tip); lobed; (3–)5 -fid. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; coriaceous; pallid, or red (pink); without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; coriaceous.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, east tropical, southern tropical, and south.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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