Urochloa panicoides P. Beauv., Ess. Agrostogr.

Vorontsova, Maria S., 2022, Revision of some Malagasy forage grasses and their relatives within Brachiaria, Echinochloa, Moorochloa, and Urochloa, Candollea 77 (2), pp. 199-236 : 230-231

26. Urochloa panicoides P. Beauv., Ess. Agrostogr. : 52, tab. 11. 1812.

Panicum panicoides (P. Beauv.) Hitchc. in J. Washington Acad. Sci. 9: 551. 1919.

Lectotypus (designated by VELDKAMP, 1996: 433): [icon] (Beauvois, Ess. Agrostogr.: 52, tab. 11. 1812).

Loosely tufted annual, ascending to erect, 0.1–1 m high, culms not branched, rooting at lower nodes, glabrous. Leaf sheath glabrous or sparsely pilose, with ciliate margins. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf blade broadly linear to narrow-lanceolate, chartaceous, 2–25 × 0.5–1.8 cm, glabrous or sparsely pilose on both sides, with bulbous based trichomes on margins at base. Inflorescence racemose, thick, 5–10 cm long. Racemes 2–7, 1–7 cm long, roughly even in length, on a common axis 1–9 cm long, with no secondary branching, rhachis narrowly winged, 0.8–1.3 mm wide, smooth with pilose margins, spikelets imbricate, single or paired, subsessile, subtended by a few long cilia. Spikelets elliptic, apically acute, 3.5–4.5 mm long, drying yellowgreen. Lower glume ¼–⅓ as long as spikelet, membranous, ovate, obtuse to subacute, 3–5-veined, glabrous or pubescent, turned away from rhachis. Upper glume as long as spikelet, somewhat concave, membranous, acute, 7-veined, veins green, prominent, with cross veins sometimes visible, glabrous or pubescent. Lower floret infertile, palea absent. Lower lemma somewhat concave, membranous, 7-veined, with cross veins sometimes visible, glabrous or pubescent, sometimes with a setose fringe. Upper lemma rounded, rugulose, with a mucro 0.3–1 mm long.

Distribution and ecology. – Until 2012 this paleotropical forage and invasive savanna grass common in the Mascarenes was only known in Madagascar from a single collection; it is not clear whether it has previously been overlooked or whether it is undergoing a period of spread. According to recent observations, it is often locally common. Open secondary vegetation on sand, beaches and roadsides, spiny forest understory, at elevations of 0–150 m (F ig. 16).

Notes. – The spikelets of Urochloa panicoides P. Beauv. can be either glabrous or pubescent. Its somewhat concave upper glume and lower lemma are similar to U. glumaris .

Additional specimens examined. – MADAGASCAR. Reg. Atsimo-Andrefana [Prov. Toliara]: Sakaraha , 3 km S du village de Mahaboboka, 20.IV.2014, Nanjarisoa et al. 176 ( K, TAN). Reg. Boeny [Prov. Mahajanga]: Ambalakida, c. 5 km before Andradia on the track from Majunga-Ankarafantsika road towards Anjohibe cave , 16.II.2013, Vorontsova et al. 955 ( K, TAN). Reg. AIANA [Prov. Antsiranana]: extremitè nord du Cap d’Ambre, VIII.1955, Gillard s.n. ( P); Ankarana MNP office, 28.II.2015, Vorontsova et al. 1829 ( K, TAN); Antsiranana city, 2.III.2015, Vorontsova et al. 1833 ( K, TAN) .