Revision of the group previously known as Panicum L. (Poaceae: Panicoideae) in Madagascar Author Vorontsova, Maria S. text Candollea 2018 2018-11-05 73 2 143 186 journal article 20513 10.15553/c2018v732a1 025e1235-99de-4ef9-8849-de54ad29a779 2235-3658 5724514 6. Panicum capuronii A. Camus in Bull. Soc. Bot. France 103: 613. 1957 ( Fig. 5 ). Lectotypus (designated here): MADAGASCAR . Prov. Toliara : forêt d’Iera à env. 30 km W d’Ankazoabo , IV.1955 , Humbert 29717 ( P [ P00450282 ]!; isolectotype : P [ P00450283 ]!) . Delicate annual, erect, 5– 15 cm tall, the culms glabrous with some cilia at the nodes. Leaf sheaths pilose on the margins. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf blades elliptic, flat, membranous, cordate and amplexicaul at base, 2.5–5 × 0.5–0.9 cm , drying yellow-green, glabrous on both sides. Panicles terminal, fully exserted, 3–6 cm long, linear, the branches lax, ascending, with glandular patches, glabrous. Spikelets ovate, asymmetric, apically obtuse, c. 1.5 mm long, green, opening only partly. Lower glume equalling or slightly exceeding the spikelet, membranous, acute, 1–3-veined, glabrous to pubescent, separated from the rest of the spikelet by a short internode. Upper glume as long as the spikelet, herbaceous, 5-veined, hirsute with bulbous-based trichomes c. 1 mm long at maturity. Lower floret male, with a fully developed palea. Lower lemma thinly cartilaginous, 5-veined, sometimes hooded, glabrous. Upper lemma with sparse minute elongated verruccae towards the upper half, often dehiscing before the lower floret. Distribution and ecology . – Endemic to Madagascar . Shade understory of seasonally dry forest, c. 400 m ( Fig. 2B ). Notes . – Known from the type collection only. Close to P. subhystrix but differs by the shape of the verrucae on its upper lemma which are sparse and elongated, not rounded. Panicum subhystrix occupies a different environmental niche of higher elevation rocky and savanna habitats on the High Plateau. Brachiaria capuronii A. Camus has a short lower glume and spikelets arranged along racemes, and is a different species likely not directly related to Panicum capuronii . Confusion is possible since Brachiaria capuronii has broad membranous leaves somewhat similar to those of Panicum capuronii and comes from a similar area of Madagascar .