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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:
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: questionable - intentional
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1923
Map
Inflorescence
image credit: BrianGwizPlant
image credit: Dan_KillamDescription
Plants annual; sometimes branching from the lower nodes. Culms 20-210 cm, stout, not woody; nodes puberulent; internodes usually with papillose-based hairs, sometimes nearly glabrous, not succulent. Leaves numerous; sheaths terete, densely pilose, with papillose-based and caducous hairs; ligules membranous, ciliate, cilia 1-3 mm; blades 15-40 cm long, 7-25 mm wide. Panicles 6-20 cm long, 4-11 cm wide, included or shortly exserted at maturity, dense; branches stiff, appressed to spreading, spikelets solitary, confined to the distal portions; pedicels 1-9 mm, scabrous and sparsely pilose. Spikelets 4-6 mm, ovoid, usually glabrous. Lower glumes 2.8-3.6 mm, 1/2 - 3/4 as long as the spikelets, 5-7-veined, veins scabridulous distally, apices attenuate; upper glumes 4-5.1 mm, slightly exceeding the upper florets, 11-13(15)-veined, veins scabridulous distally; lower florets sterile; lower lemmas 4-4.8 mm, slightly exceeding the upper florets, 9-13-veined, veins scabridulous distally; lower paleas 1.2-1.6 mm, 1/2 or less the length of the upper florets, truncate to bilobed; upper florets 3-3.8 mm long, 2-2.5 mm wide, smooth or striate, more or less shiny, stramineous to orange, red-brown, or blackish, persisting in the spikelets or disarticulating at maturity. 2n = 36, 40, 42, 49, 54, 72.
(Description source: Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M., Long, S. & Piep, M.B. (eds.) 2003. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 25. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, Part 2. Oxford University Press, New York. 783 pp http://floranorthamerica.org/Panicum_miliaceum )
Cespitose annuals usually 20-100 cm tall, hispid. Ligule a ciliate membrane, 1.4-2.5 mm long; blades 10-30 cm long, 0.6-2 cm wide, flat, usually hispid. Panicles 5-30 cm long; spikelets 4-5.5 mm long, ovoid, acuminate, glabrous; first glume 2-4 mm long, 1/2-3/4 as long as spikelet, 5-9-nerved, second glume 13-15-nerved; first floret sterile, first lemma 11-13-nerved, first palea hyaline, up to 1.5 mm long; second floret 2.8-3.2 mm long, obtuse, glossy, smooth; anthers 1.8-2 mm long. [2 = 36, 40, 49, 54, 72.]
(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 )