Panicum trichoides

HABIT Annual. Culms geniculately ascending, or decumbent; slender; 15–100 cm long. Leaf-sheaths hispid; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base simple, or cordate; asymmetrical. Leaf-blades lanceolate, or ovate; 3–7 cm long; 5–20 mm wide; membranous. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; 6–16 cm long. Panicle branches capillary.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; obtuse; 1–1.5 mm long; falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated between glumes.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3–5 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 3–5 -veined; pubescent; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 0.8–1.2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia and China. Asia-tropical: Indo-China, Malesia, and Papuasia. Australasia: Australia. North America: south-central USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, Caribbean, northern South America, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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