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Info
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Capillipedium = "hair foot" [Latin] refering to the hair like pedicels
Species etymology: spicigerum = "spike bearing" [Latin] refering to the panicle of small spikes
Photosynthetic type: C3 (cool season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1951
Map
Inflorescence
image credit: hrosenswdpi
image credit: coenobitaSpikelets
image credit: hrosenswdpiDescription
Perennial. Culms tufted, up to 150 cm tall, unbranched, nodes bearded. Leaf sheaths usually pilose, ciliate at mouth; leaf blades 15–40 × 0.5–0.8 cm, scaberulous or pubescent, usually hispid with tubercle-based hairs toward base, base rounded, apex acuminate; ligule 0.5–1 mm. Panicle oblong-ovate in outline, 10–18 × 5–8 cm; branches untidily flexuous, pilose in axils; racemes composed of 3–7 spikelet pairs below the terminal triad, purple; rachis internodes and pedicels ciliate. Sessile spikelet 3–4 mm; lower glume oblong-lanceolate, slightly glossy, back 4–5-veined, scarcely depressed along midline, sparsely hispidulous, margins keeled, pectinate-ciliate above middle, apex narrowly obtuse; upper glume ciliate along upper margins; awn of upper lemma 1.2–1.8 cm. Pedicelled spikelet equaling the sessile and often staminate, or smaller and barren. Fl. and fr. autumn. 2n = 40.
(Description source: Wu, Z.Y., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D.Y. (eds.). 2006. Flora of China. Volume 22. Poaceae. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. 733 pp. )