Panicum wiehei

HABIT Annual. Culms decumbent, or rambling; 30–100 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blade base simple, or cordate. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 6–16 cm long; 8–18 mm wide; herbaceous, or membranous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; 7–15 cm long. Primary panicle branches moderately divided, or profusely divided.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 2–2.5(–3) mm long; falling entire.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25–0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0–1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma oblong; dorsally compressed; 1.5–2 mm long; indurate; pallid; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate.

DISTRIBUTION Africa: northeast tropical, east tropical, and southern tropical.

NOTES Paniceae. FTEA.

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