Common name: Giant Panic Grass, Blue Panic
Panicum antidotale Retz. APNI*
Description: Robust, tufted, shortly rhizomatous perennial to 1.5 m high with extravaginal innovations.
Leaves with sheath usually glabrous; ligule membranous below, ciliate above, 1.2–2 mm long; blade 5–15 mm wide.
Panicle 20–30 c. or more long, effuse. Spikelets acute to subacuminate, 2.5–3 mm long, glabrous. Lower glume 30–60% the length of the spikelet, obtuse to acute, 3–5-nerved; upper a little shorter than the spikelet, 7–9-nerved, obtuse to subapiculate. Lower lemma male, equal to the spikelet, 7–9-nerved, obtuse to apiculate; palea subequalling the lemma. Upper lemma elliptic to ovate, c. 2.3 mm long, acute, smooth, shining.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Cultivated as a fodder species and occasionally escaped from cultivation. Native of India & Asia.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *NT, *NWS, *CWS, *NWP
Other Australian states: *Qld *W.A. *N.T.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & C. A. Wall Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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