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 sarmentosum

HABIT Perennial. Culms rambling; 100–1500 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Culm-internodes antrorsely scabrous. Culm-nodes swollen. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths 3–10 cm long; glabrous on surface, or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded, or cordate. Leaf-blades spreading; 20–40 cm long; 20–30 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pubescent; hairy on both sides. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate, or obovate; loose; 8–35 cm long; 6–12 cm wide. Primary panicle branches not whorled, or whorled at most nodes; 10–15 cm long. Panicle axis glabrous, or pilose. Panicle branches capillary; straight; without exudate; glabrous, or pilose; with prominent pulvini.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 1.3–2 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume oblong, or ovate; clasping; 1–2 mm long; 0.5–0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate, or orbicular; 1.6 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 0.75 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure, or distinct. Upper glume surface asperulous; rough at apex. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate, or orbicular; 1.8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; obscurely veined, or distinctly veined; obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret 1.6 mm long; pubescent; adorned on flanks. Fertile lemma oblong, or ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.6 mm long; indurate; yellow; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex apiculate. Palea involute; 1.4 mm long; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 1 mm long; yellow.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-temperate: China and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India, Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia.

NOTES Paniceae. Gilliland 2000.

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