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.

Pennisetum weberbaueri

HABIT Perennial. Culms 70–100 cm long. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 12–25 cm long; 6–15 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary.

Panicle spiciform; linear; 5–7 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis angular; scabrous; glabrous; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters.

Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 5–6 mm long; base truncate. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; 15–20 in principal whorl; with one conspicuously longer bristle; 10–12 mm long; terete; flexible; smooth; glabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5.5–6.2 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.

GLUMES Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.15 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5–6 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous.

FLOWER Lodicules absent. Anthers 3. Styles free to the base.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.

DISTRIBUTION South America: western South America.

NOTES Paniceae. Turpe 1994.

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