Panicum incomtum* Trin. Gram. Pan.
200 (1826).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Philippine Islands: Manila, Chamisso s.n.
(HT: LE).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Perennial. Rhizomes absent. Stolons absent. Culms decumbent or
sprawling, 50–200 cm tall, 4–7 mm diam., woody, 7–30 -noded. Mid-culm
internodes pubescent. Lateral branches sparsely branched or branched. Leaves
cauline. Leaf-sheaths hairy. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule a fringed
membrane or a fringe of hairs, a ciliate membrane, 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades
linear or lanceolate, 6–30 cm long, 7–25 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth,
glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle elliptic or oblong, 8–18 cm long,
3–6 cm wide, 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, 1.8–2.2 mm long. Rhachilla internodes brief up to lowest
fertile floret.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate, membranous, much
thinner on margins, without keels, 3–5 -nerved. Lower glume apex muticous.
Upper glume elliptic, 1.9–2.2 mm long, chartaceous, without keels, 5 -nerved.
Upper glume surface indumented. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1,
barren, with palea or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret
100 % of length of spikelet, chartaceous, 5 -nerved, mucronate.
Fertile lemma 1.5–1.9
mm long, without keel. Lemma apex mucronate.
Continental Distribution:
Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland.
Queensland:
Cook, North Kennedy.
Notes.
The culms become very hardened, bamboo-like and climb over understory
vegetation.
Introduced. In
tropical and subtropical rain forests and tropical and subtropical sub-humid
woodlands. Occurs in shady tropical rainforests. Flowers June-Aug.
