Info
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus etymology: Pentapogon = "five beard" [Greek] refering to the awns of the lemma on some species
Species etymology: crinitus = "with long hair" [Latin] refering
Photosynthetic type: C3 (cool season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 1982
Map
Inflorescence
Plant
Habit
Description
Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Culms erect; 50-100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1 mm long. Leaf-blades 10-20 cm long; 3-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pubescent. Inflorescences: Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; 8-20 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent. Fertile Spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident; pubescent. Glumes: Glumes persistent; similar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume lanceolate; 5 mm long; 1.25 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex attenuate. Florets: Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4 mm long; cartilaginous; keeled; lightly keeled; 1 -veined. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse (easily splitting); awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5-0.66 way up back of lemma; flexuous; 20-25 mm long overall; 4-6 length of lemma. Palea 0.75 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea keels approximate. Florets: Anthers 2; 0.5 mm long. Fruits: Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Endosperm liquid. Distribution: Asia-tropical: Papuasia. Australasia: Australia and New Zealand. Pacific: southwestern, south-central, and north-central.
(Description source: Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora. Available at https://powo.science.kew.org )