Panicum tenuifolium Hook. & Arn.

synonyms: Panicum molokaiense


mountain pili


Info

Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Panicum = "belonging to bread" [Latin] refering to use by several species as cereal grains
Species etymology: tenuifolium = "narrow leaf" [Latin] refering to the leaf width
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: endemic

Map

 Distribution of Panicum tenuifolium in Hawaiʻi.
 Distribution of Panicum tenuifolium in Hawaiʻi.

Inflorescence

Panicum tenuifolium Inflorescence
Panicum tenuifolium Inflorescence
Panicum tenuifolium Inflorescence
Panicum tenuifolium Inflorescence
Panicum tenuifolium Inflorescence
Panicum tenuifolium Inflorescence

Plant

Panicum tenuifolium Plant
Panicum tenuifolium Plant
Panicum tenuifolium Plant

Habit

Panicum tenuifolium Habit

Spikelets

Panicum tenuifolium Spikelets
Panicum tenuifolium Spikelets
Panicum tenuifolium Spikelets
Panicum tenuifolium Spikelets
Panicum tenuifolium Spikelets

Collar

Panicum tenuifolium Collar
Panicum tenuifolium Collar

Description

Cespitose perennials 25-120 cm tall; culms unbranched, papillose-pilose, the nodes glabrous to pilose. Leaves primarily cauline; sheaths papillose-pilose; ligule a ciliate membrane, 0.3-1.1 mm long, the membrane rudimentary, up to 0.2 mm long, the cilia 0.2-1.1 mm long; blades 5-20 cm long, 0.1-0.5(-0.7) cm wide, usually loosely involute, sometimes mixed involute and flattened, or entirely flattened, papillosepilose or rarely glabrous, especially on lower surface. Panicles 5-30 cm long, terminal, the branches ascending to widely spreading, usually solitary, scabrid to pilose, the axils puberulent or pilose; spikelets 2.1-3.6 mm long, acute to acuminate, glabrous; glumes as long as spikelet, equal or first glume slightly longer or shorter than second glume, first glume 5-7-nerved, acuminate to acute, second glume 7-nerved, acute; first floret sterile, first lemma as long as or slightly shorter than glumes, 5-7- nerved, first palea 1/3-1/2 as long as first lemma; second floret 1.7-1.8 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide, 0.4-0.8 mm shorter than first lemma, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, glossy, smooth; anthers 1-1.2 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 )