Panicum mindanaense Merrill. Philipp.
J. Sci. 1: 360 (1906).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: M.S. Clemens 99, Jan 1906, Philippines:
Mindanao I., Lanao del Sur prov. (US-709327; IT: B, PNH, US-850166, US-3414719
(ex NEB)).
Recent synonyms:
P. delicatum.
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (257 as P. delicatum), [1981] M.Lazarides in J.Jessop
(ed)., Flora of Central Australia (472), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon,
AusGrass, Grasses of Australia.
Habit. Annual
or perennial. Rhizomes absent. Stolons absent. Culms erect or geniculately
ascending or decumbent, 20–80 cm tall, 3–6 -noded. Mid-culm internodes
glabrous. Lateral branches sparsely branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface.
Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades
linear, 3–18 cm long, 1.5–4.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth or scabrous,
glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, effuse, 10–30 cm long, with
spikelets clustered towards branch tips.
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, lanceolate or
elliptic or ovate, dorsally compressed, 2–3.5 mm long. Rhachilla internodes
elongated between glumes.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or ovate, membranous,
without keels, 3–7 -nerved. Lower glume apex mucronate. Upper glume lanceolate
or ovate, 2–2.8 mm long, membranous, without keels, 5–7 -nerved. Florets.
Basal sterile florets 1, barren, with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 100
% of length of spikelet, membranous, 5–7 -nerved, muticous.
Fertile lemma 1.4–2.8
mm long, without keel, 5–7 -nerved. Lemma apex muticous. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Tropical Asia and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland.
Western Australia:
Gardner, Dampier. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf, Victoria River,
Barkly Tableland, Central Australia North. Queensland: Burke, Cook,
North Kennedy, Mitchell.
Notes.
Diagnostic features include the relatively long lower glume, spikelet length,
and the filiform and lax primary branches. It is very similar to P.
seminudum.
Native. Occurs across
the tropics and subtropics of northern Australia and into New Guinea. New
Guinea. In tropical heaths, tropical and subtropical rain forests, tropical and
subtropical sub-humid woodlands, coastal grasslands, and tropical sub-humid
grasslands. Flowers throughout the year.
