Compilation
Pennisetum pallescens

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Name

Identification
Pennisetum pallescens Leeke [family POACEAE ] Verified by Hubbard,C.E., Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. [family POACEAE ] (stored under name);
Related name
  • Pennisetum purpureum
  • Pennisetum pallescens

Flora

Entry for PENNISETUM purpureum Schumach. [family POACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 451, (1982) Author: W. D. CLAYTON and S.A. RENVOIZE
Names
PENNISETUM purpureum Schumach. [family POACEAE], Beskr. Guin. Pl.: 44 (1827); E.A. Pasture Plants 1: 44 (1926); F.T.A. 9: 1016 (1934); Fl. Agrost. Congo Belge. 2: 346 (1934); Ann. list grasses Ug.: 36 (1947); Imp. Grassl. Pl. Kenya: 65 (1951); F.P.N.A. 3: 128 (1955); F.P.S. 3: 514 (1956); R.K.G.: 53 (1958); Ann. list Nyasaland grasses: 53 (1958); I.G.U.: 47 (1960); G.T.: 90 (1965); Clayton in F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 3: 461 (1972); Brunken in Amer. Journ. Bot. 64: 162 (1977). Type: Ghana, Thonning (C, holo.!)
PENNISETUM macrostachyum Benth. [family POACEAE], in Hook, Niger Fl.: 563 (1849), non (Brongn.) Trin. (1834). Types: Nigeria, Aboh, Vogel & Fernando Po, Vogel (both K, syn.!)
PENNISETUM benthamii Steud. [family POACEAE], Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 105 (1854). Based on P. macrostachyum Benth.
Gymnothrix nitens Anderss. [family ], in Peters, Reise Mossamb., Bot. 2: 552 (1864). Type: Mozambique, Cabaçeira, Peters (whereabouts unknown, not B or S)
Pennisetum nitens (Anderss.) Hack. [family POACEAE], in Bol. Soc. Brot. 6: 142 (1888)
Pennisetum flexispica K. Schum. [family POACEAE], in P.O.A. C: 105 (1895). Type: Zanzibar, Stuhlmann 1099 (B, holo.†)
Pennisetum benthamii Hack. var. sambesiense [family POACEAE], in Denkschr. Akad. Wiss., Wien., Math.-Nat. Kl. 78: 400 (1905). Type: Mozambique, Boroma [Boruma], Menyhart 1118 (Z, iso.!)
Pennisetum benthamii Hack. var. nudum [family POACEAE], in Denkschr. Akad. Wiss., Wien., Math.-Nat. Kl. 78: 400 (1905). Type: Mozambique, Nhaondue, Menyhart 1118a (W, holo.)
Pennisetum benthamii Hack. var. ternatum [family POACEAE], in Denkschr. Akad. Wiss., Wien., Math.-Nat. Kl. 78: 400 (1905). Type: Mozambique, Boroma, Menyhart 559 (Z, iso.!)
Pennisetum flavicomum Leeke [family POACEAE], in Zeitschr. Naturwiss. 79: 45 (1907). Type: Tanzania, Morogoro District, Kikundi, von Prittwitz 199 (B, holo.!)
Pennisetum pruinosum Leeke [family POACEAE], in Zeitschr. Naturwiss. 79: 46 (1907). Type: Tanzania, Rufiji District, Mtemere, Goetze 66 (B, holo.!)
Pennisetum pallescens Leeke [family POACEAE], in Zeitschr. Naturwiss. 79: 47 (1907). Type: Togo, Sokode, Kersting 719 (B, holo.)
Pennisetum lachnorrhachis Peter [family POACEAE], F.D.O.-A. 1, Anh.: 70, fig. 35/1 (1930). Type: Tanzania, Buha District, Bikare, Peter 38862, (B, holo.†)
Pennisetum gossweileri Stapf & Hubbard [family POACEAE], in K.B. 1933: 274 (1933); F.T.A. 9: 982 (1934). Type: Angola, Chiluango, Gossweiler 5896 (K, holo.!)
Pennisetum purpureum (K. Schum.) Maire & Weiller subsp. flexispica [family POACEAE], Fl. Afr. Nord 1: 340 (1952)
Pennisetum purpureum (Steud.) Maire & Weiller subsp. benthamii [family POACEAE], Fl. Afr. Nord 1: 341 (1952)
Pennisetum blepharideum Gilli [family POACEAE], in Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 69: 41 (1966). Type: Tanzania, Rungwe District, Kandjomere, Gilli 53 (W, holo.!)
Information
Robust perennial, often forming bamboo-like clumps; culms 1–6 m. high or more. Leaf-blades up to 120 cm. long, 4 cm. wide. Panicle linear, 7–30 cm. long; rhachis cylindrical, with or without short peduncle-stumps, pubescent; involucre enclosing 1–5 spikelets, one of them sessile and hermaphrodite, the others shortly pedicelled and ♂ (but scarcely different in appearance); bristles glabrous or obscurely ciliate, the longest 10–40 mm. Spikelets lanceolate, 4.5–7 mm. long, glabrous; lower glume 0; upper glume 1/4–1/2 the length of the spikelet, rarely 0; lower lemma 2/3 to as long as the spikelet (rarely less), ♂ or barren, membranous, acuminate; upper lemma subcoriaceous and shining in the lower half, acuminate; anther tips bearing a tiny tuft of hairs (very rarely glabrous). Fig. 156.
Range
DISTR. U1–4; K4, 5, 7; T1–8; Z tropical Africa; introduced to most other tropical countries
Altitude range
0–2500 m.
Distribution
KENYA Kiambu District Karura Forest, 25 Nov. 1966, Perdue & Kibuwa 8101! & near Kikuyu station, 4 Feb. 1951, Bogdan 2902!KENYA Kwale District Kinango-Ndavaya, 16 Nov. 1948, Allan 506!TANZANIA Mbulu District Endabash R. drift, 25 June 1965, Greenway & Kanuri 11909!TANZANIA Mpanda District Utahya, 6 Sept. 1958, Newbould & Jefford 2371!TANZANIA Mpwapwa District Tabugwe valley, 24 Apr. 1932, B.D. Bum 3943!TANZANIA Zanzibar I., Mkokotoni, 15 Aug. 1961, Faulkner 2891 !UGANDA Toro District Sindikwa triangulation point, 14 Dec. 1962, Buechner 37!UGANDA Mbale District W. Budama county [Bugwere and Budama], 30 Jan. 1928, Snowden 1259!UGANDA Mubende District 31 Dec. 1957, Napper 705!
Notes
P. purpureum belongs to a section of the genus having a hairy rhachis, somewhat hardened upper lemma, and penicillate anther-tips. The rest of the section consists of the annual complex associated with P. glaucum. P. purpureum can be crossed with P. glaucum, the hybrids resembling P. purpureum.

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