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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: xerophilum = "dry loving" [Greek] refering to its habitat
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: endemic
Map
Inflorescence
image credit: Forest & Kim StarrPlant
image credit: Forest & Kim StarrHabit
image credit: Forest & Kim StarrSpikelets
image credit: Forest & Kim StarrDescription
Cespitose annuals 5-80 cm tall; culms branched or unbranched, usually pilose, the nodes pilose. Leaves cauline; sheaths usually papillose-pilose or occasionally puberulent; ligule a ciliate membrane, 0.5-2 mm long, the membrane a rudimentary rim or up to 0.6 mm long, the cilia 0.5-1.6 mm long; blades 3-18 cm long, 0.1-0.8 cm wide, flat, usually papillose-pilose, rarely puberulent or subglabrous. Panicles 3-25 cm long; spikelets 1.5-3.2(-3.7) mm long, acute to acuminate, glabrous; glumes usually equal or subequal, acute and as long as spikelet, sometimes first glume longer than second glume and both glumes acuminate, first glume 3-5-nerved, second glume 5-7- nerved; first floret sterile, first lemma usually distinctly shorter, rarely as long as second glume, 7-nerved, first palea 1/4-1/2 as long as first glume; second floret 1.2-1.7 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide, elliptic, smooth, glossy; anthers 0.7-1.2 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 )