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Info
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Panicum = "belonging to bread" [Latin] refering to use by several species as cereal grains
Species etymology: lineale = "pertaining to linen thread" [Latin] refering to the long, narrow leaves
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: endemic
Map
Inflorescence
image credit: Ken Wood
image credit: Ken WoodPlant
image credit: Ken Wood
image credit: Ken Wood
image credit: Ken WoodDescription
Densely cespitose perennials 55-126 cm tall; culms erect, unbranched, glabrous. Leaves primarily basal, often strongly distichous; sheaths glabrous or puberulent toward apex; ligule a rudimentary membrane with cilia 0.4-0.5 mm long; blades 59-85 cm long, 0.4-0.9 cm wide when unrolled, but usually involute, upper surface densely velvety pubescent at base behind the ligule, otherwise glabrous, lower surface glabrous, apex long-acuminate. Panicles 20-35 cm long, 6-10 cm wide, rachis glabrous, branches spreading at acute angles, the pulvini pubescent; spikelets 4.1-4.8 mm long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous; rachillar internodes prominent; glumes unequal, first glume 1.7-2.6 mm long, 3-7-nerved, acute, second glume 4-4.5 mm long, 9-nerved; first floret sterile, first lemma as long as spikelet, similar to second glume, 7-9-nerved, first palea 1/5-1/4 as long as first lemma; second floret 2.5-2.9 mm long, 0.7-0.8 mm wide, linear-elliptic, cartilaginous, smooth, glossy, acute; anthers 3, orange, 2.2-2.4 mm long.
(Description source: O’Connor, P.J. 1990. Poaceae, pp. 1481–1604. In: Wagner W.L., Herbst D.R. & Sohmer S.H. (eds.)., Manual of the flowering plant of Hawaiʻi. Vol. 2. University of Hawaii Press & Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu )