Panicum gilvum*

Panicum gilvum* Launert. Mitt.
Bot. Munchen
8: 153 (1970).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: IT: M.K. Dinter 2544, 20 Apr 1912, Namibia:
Okahandja, Okahandja (L). IT: R. Seydel 2210, 27 Mar 1960, Namibia:
Damaraland, Okahandja, 1400 m (L).

Recent synonyms:
P. laevifolium var. contractum, P. schinzii auct.

Key references
(books and floras):
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia
, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales
(316).

Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales
, 4th edn (316).

Habit. Annual.
Rhizomes absent. Stolons absent. Culms erect or geniculately ascending or
decumbent, 15–70 cm tall, 3–6 -noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Lateral
branches sparsely branched. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringed
membrane or a fringe of hairs, a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, 7–25 cm
long, 3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle oblong, 4–18 cm long, evenly
furnished.

Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret barren
(rarely male), the upper fertile, comprising 1 basal sterile florets,
comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, elliptic or ovate,
dorsally compressed, 2.3–4 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest
fertile floret.

Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate or obovate,
membranous, without keels, 0–1 -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous. Upper glume
elliptic or ovate, 2.2–3 mm long, membranous, without keels, 9–11 -nerved. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, with palea or without significant palea. Lemma
of lower sterile floret 100 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 9–11 -nerved,
muticous.

Fertile lemma 1.9–3.5
mm long, without keel. Lemma apex muticous.

Continental
Distribution
: Africa and Australasia.

Australian
Distribution
: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.

Queensland:
Moreton. New South Wales: Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands,
North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, South-Western Slopes. Victoria:
East Gippsland, Eastern Highlands, Gippsland Plain, Grampians, Midlands,
Riverina, Wannon, Wimmera.

Notes.
Australian specimens of this taxon match Launert's description except a for a
smaller spikelet size and the absence of stamens in the lower floret.

Introduced. In dry
sclerophyll forests, Brigalow forests, temperate sub-humid woodlands, and
semi-arid shrub woodlands. Flowers mostly Jan.-June.

 

AVH 2011

                            

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith