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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: niihauense = from Ni'ihau
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: endemic
Legal status: Hawaii DLNR - Endangered
Map
Inflorescence
image credit: Ken Wood
image credit: Ken Wood
image credit: Ken Wood
image credit: Ken WoodPlant
image credit: Ken Wood
image credit: Ken WoodDescription
Cespitose perennials 50-125 cm tall; culms unbranched, puberulent, the nodes pubescent. Leaves cauline; sheaths velvety puberulent and papillose-hispid; ligule a ciliate membrane, 1.4-3.2 mm long, the membrane 0.4-1.2 mm long, the cilia 0.8- 2.2 mm long; blades 15-35 cm long, 0.7-1.9 cm wide, flat, velvety puberulent or upper surface sometimes glabrous. Panicles 13-35 cm long, terminal, axis puberulent at least below, branches appressed to the rachis, scaberulous; spikelets 2.6-3.2 mm long, acuminate, glabrous; glumes as long as spikelet, first glume usually slightly shorter than second glume, sometimes subequal, 5- nerved, acuminate, second glume 5-7- nerved, acuminate; first floret sterile, first lemma as long as first glume or shorter, 7- 9-nerved, first palea 4-4 as long as first lemma; second floret 1.2-1.5 mm long, 0.6-0.7 mm wide, 0.6-0.8 mm shorter than first lemma, elliptic, glossy, smooth; anthers 0.9-1.2 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 )