Ichnanthus pallens (Sw.) Munro ex Benth.
Fl. Hongkong: 414 (1861).- Type: Swartz s.n. Jamaica (holo- M; iso- G, S).
Panicum pallens Swartz, Fl. Ind. Occ. 1 (1797).
var. major (Nees) Streiber
Syst. Bot. 12:207(1987).- Type: Langsdorff s.n, Brésil (holo- LE).
Panicum pallens var. majus Nees, in von Martius, in Fl. Bras. Enum. Pl. 2: 138 (1829);
Hildaea pallens var. majus (Nees) Silva & Oliveira, Molec. Phylogen. Evol. 93: 229 (2015);
Panicum vicinum F.M. Bail., Syn. Queensl. FI., Suppl. 3: 82 (1890).- Type: Bailey s.n.. Australia, Harvey’s Creek (holo- BRI);
Ichnanthus vicinus (FM. Bailey) Merrill, Enum. Phillip. Fl. PI. 1: 70 (1923).
Regional litterature: FTA 9: 744 (1920); FWTA: 436 (1972)
Description:
* Mat forming perennial of 20–60 cm tall. Culms rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Leaves lanceolate, 5–6 cm long and 15–20 mm wide, flaccid; venation with distinct cross veins; ligule a ciliolate membrane.
* Inflorescence a terminal or lateral open panicle, exserted, or embraced at base by subtending sheaths, 5–10 cm long, contracted about the racemous branches. Racemes unilateral, 3–7.5 cm long with a angular rhachis. Spikelet packing distant, irregular, pedicelled and ascending in pairs. Pedicels filiform angular, 2–10 mm long.
* Spikelets lanceolate, 4.5–5.5 mm long, readily shedding fertile florets; floret callus with apical semi-transparent wings shrivelled to concave scars. Glumes lateral, similar; lower glume 2/3 as long as spikelet, herbaceous, keeled and 5-veined, attenuate; upper glume keeled and 7-veine, acuminate. Lower lemma barren with palea, similar to upper glume; upper lemma coriaceous, 2-2.5 mm long, smmoth and shiny, brown, obtuse. Anthers 3.
Distribution West Africa: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cameroon.
Distribution world-wide: Asia, Australia, S and C America.