Pennisetum latifolium
Plants perennial; cespitose. Culms 1.5-3 m, erect; nodes pubescent. Sheaths pubescent or scabrous, margins ciliate; ligules 1.3-2 mm; blades 30-75 cm long, 19-45 mm wide, flat, glabrous, pseudopetiolate. Panicles terminal on the culms and axillary in the upper leaf sheaths, 2.2-9.5 cm long, 10-15 mm wide, fully exerted from the sheaths, flexible, drooping, green to stramineous; rachises terete, scabrous or sparsely pubescent. Fascicles 5-13 per cm; fascicle axes about 0.3 mm, with 1(2) spikelet(s); outer bristles 8-33, 1.1-11 mm, brittle; inner bristles absent; primary bristles (11.5)15.7-26.5 mm, scabrous, noticeably longer than the other bristles. Spikelets 4-7 mm, sessile; lower glumes 1.2-2.2 mm, 1(2)-veined, scabridulous and ciliolate distally; upper glumes 1.8-3.3 mm, 3-veined, margins ciliolate; lower florets sterile; lower lemmas 4.8-6.8 mm, 5-8-veined; lower paleas absent; upper lemmas 4.6-5.5 mm, 5-veined; upper paleas 2-3-veined; anthers 1.2-1.5 mm. Caryopses 2.5-2.8 mm long. 2n = 36.
Distribution
La., Okla., Calif.
Discussion
Pennisetum latifolium is native to South America. It is occasionally grown as an ornamental in the Flora region.
Selected References
None.