Panicum stenodes

HABIT Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms erect; 15–40 cm long; 0.5–1 mm diam.; wiry. Culm-nodes glabrous. Lateral branches lacking. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.1–0.2 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 1–8 cm long; 1–1.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary.

Panicle contracted; linear; 0.5–1 cm long; bearing few spikelets. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; dorsally compressed; 1.5–2.1 mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.9–1.2 mm long; 0.66 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.4–1.8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5(–9) -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1.3–1.8 mm long; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5–7 -veined; obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.33–0.5 length of lemma. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; 1.2–1.7 mm long; indurate; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Palea involute; indurate.

FLOWER Anthers 2–3; 0.4–0.6 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; 0.8 mm long; purple.

DISTRIBUTION North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, and Brazil.

NOTES Paniceae. Fl Costa Rica 1994.

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